Trial Date Fixed for HMP Altcourse Prisoner Murder Charge, Liverpool 2026

Key Points

• A trial date has been set for a man charged with murdering a fellow prisoner at HMP Altcourse in Fazakerley, Liverpool.
• Raymond McEntee, 68, was found dead in his cell in the early hours of July 18, 2026.
• A Home Office post-mortem determined the cause of death as pressure to the neck and blunt force trauma to the head.
• Martin Wainwright, 54, also a prisoner at HMP Altcourse at the time, was charged with murder on July 30, 2026.
• Wainwright appeared in court on July 31 and again on August 3, 2026, for a bail determination hearing before Judge Neil Flewitt KC.
• No bail application was made on behalf of Wainwright, who remains in custody at HMP Liverpool.
• A provisional trial date has been set for January 25, 2027, with the trial expected to last between seven and 10 days.
• A plea and trial preparation hearing is scheduled for October 23, 2026, pending psychiatric reports.

Liverpool Crime (Liverpool standard) August 03, 2026 — A provisional trial date has been set for a man charged with the murder of a fellow inmate at HMP Altcourse, a privately managed prison in Fazakerley, north Liverpool.

Martin Wainwright, 54, who was incarcerated at the facility at the time of the alleged incident, appeared via video link from HMP Liverpool at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday for a bail determination hearing before Judge Neil Flewitt KC.

Who Was the Victim and How Did He Die?

Raymond McEntee, 68, was found dead in his cell at HMP Altcourse in the early hours of July 18, 2026, according to a police spokesperson cited in court proceedings.

A Home Office post-mortem examination has since been completed, with the cause of death formally recorded as pressure to the neck and blunt force trauma to the head, court documents confirm.

Who Is the Accused and What Are the Charges?

Martin Wainwright, 54, also a prisoner at HMP Altcourse at the time of Mr McEntee’s death, was charged with murder on Thursday, July 30, 2026, before making his first court appearance the following day, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.

Wainwright appeared again in court on Monday, August 3, 2026, dressed in a green and yellow prison-issue jumpsuit, and was represented by defence counsel Damian Nolan.

What Did the Court Hear About Bail and Next Steps?

Damian Nolan, defending Wainwright, told the court there was no application for bail on behalf of his client, meaning Wainwright will remain in custody ahead of trial, court records show.

Judge Flewitt KC addressed Wainwright directly, stating:

“I have set a provisional trial date for the January 25 next year and the next hearing in this case is on October 23 this year. You will attend over the prison video link in the same way you have done today.”

When Will the Trial Take Place and How Long Is It Expected to Last?

A provisional trial date has been set for January 25, 2027, with the trial expected to last between seven and 10 days, according to court scheduling notes referenced in the Liverpool Echo report.

A plea and trial preparation hearing has also been scheduled for October 23, 2026, pending the completion of psychiatric reports, court documents indicate.

What Is the Current Status of the Investigation and Prison Oversight?

The case remains under active investigation by Merseyside Police, with oversight from the Home Office following the post-mortem examination, as confirmed in court proceedings on August 3, 2026.

HMP Altcourse, operated by private security firm G4S on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, has not issued a separate public statement beyond the police and court updates provided during the hearing.

Background of the Development

HMP Altcourse, located in Fazakerley, is a Category B men’s prison with a capacity of approximately 1,400 inmates, operated by G4S under contract to the Ministry of Justice.

The prison has previously been the subject of high-profile incidents, including the 2025 murder of former prison officer Lenny Scott, who was shot outside a gym in Skelmersdale in what prosecutors described as a “revenge plot” orchestrated by former inmate Elias Morgan.

The death of Raymond McEntee marks the latest in a series of serious incidents at the facility, prompting renewed scrutiny of prisoner safety and internal security protocols within privately managed prisons in England and Wales.

Prediction: How This Development May Affect Prison Staff, Inmates, and Public Confidence

The setting of a trial date for the murder of an inmate at HMP Altcourse is likely to have several consequential effects on key audiences, based on patterns observed in similar cases.

• Prison staff and morale: Following the 2025 murder of Lenny Scott, union representatives told the BBC that the killing had significantly damaged morale within the prison service. A further high-profile murder trial involving an inmate death may compound existing concerns about safety, workload, and institutional support among frontline officers at HMP Altcourse and similar facilities.
• Inmate safety perceptions: The formal charging of a fellow prisoner with murder may heighten anxiety among the inmate population, particularly if perceptions of inadequate protection or unresolved tensions within the prison environment persist.
• Public and policy scrutiny: With HMP Altcourse already associated with multiple serious incidents in recent years, including the Scott murder trial and previous inmate deaths, this development may attract renewed attention from policymakers, oversight bodies such as the Prison and Probation Ombudsman, and local media.
• Operational and legal implications: The requirement for psychiatric reports ahead of the October 2026 plea hearing suggests the defence may explore mental health considerations, which could influence trial strategy, sentencing outcomes, and broader discussions around mental health provision in custodial settings.