A TEENAGER accused of murdering North Yorkshire man David Williamson broke down and had to be comforted by a police officer when he appeared in court.

James William Payling, 18, of Kirkgate, Ripon, had to be helped into the dock at Harrogate Magistrates Court by two security officers.

He is accused of murdering the 58-year-old bachelor, who was found lying unconscious in a lane just a few hundred yards from his home in Sutton-on-the-Forest, near Easingwold, in March last year.

He had suffered a fractured skull after being hit from behind with a blunt instrument and died later that day in hospital.

There was no application for bail and Payling, who did not enter any pleas, was remanded in custody to attend York Crown Court on Monday to face the murder charge.

Eight other charges against Payling, including burglary, theft and motoring offences, were adjourned to Harrogate Magistrates Court on February 13.

Despite extensive inquiries and appeals, including ones on BBC's Crimewatch, and the offer of a £5,000 reward from Crimestoppers, detectives complained of a lack of information about the murder, particularly from villagers in Sutton-on-the-Forest and nearby Huby.

A team of detectives, led by acting Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Boynton, widened their murder hunt in November with the launch of a massive voluntary genetic fingerprint testing programme.

Over the following weeks DNA samples were taken from hundreds of men in Sutton-on-the-Forest and the neighbouring village of Huby, where Mr Williamson had been at the Star Inn pub the night before he was found.

Forensic tests at the scene revealed a DNA profile, which detectives believed could be the killer's. It was checked against the DNA of 100 men who had been in contact with Mr Williamson in the 36 hours before his death, but no match was found and it was decided to widen the search.

Updated: 10:22 Thursday, January 17, 2002