THE first murder trial ever to be held at Bolton Crown Court begins next month.

The Blackhorse Street building opened in 1982 as part of a plan to ease the workload of Manchester Crown Court.

The court, which was given "third tier" status, allowed most cases from Bolton and surrounding areas, which are too serious to be dealt with by magistrates, to be tried and sentenced locally.

Circuit judges and part time judges, known as recorders, preside over the cases, but the most complex and serious trials, for offences such as murder, have, until now, been sent to Manchester Crown Court.

However, on January 11 Josphat Mutekedza, aged 35, of no fixed address, goes on trial at Bolton Crown Court, having denied murdering Rochdale nurse Miriam Nyazema.

The town's most senior judge, The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Timothy Clayson, will preside over the trial, which is expected to last two weeks.

It is the presence of Judge Clayson which has allowed the first murder trial to take place at the court in 34 years.

Last year the distinguished judge, who took over as Bolton's Honorary Recorder almost four years ago following the retirement of Judge William Morris, was granted his "Class 1 ticket".

Normally only High Court judges deal with the most serious, Class 1 crimes such as murder, but the "ticket" can be granted to circuit judges deemed to have the relevant experience and expertise.

The trial will not be Judge Clayson's first experience of trying such serious crimes.

Judge Clayson, aged 63, qualified as a barrister in 1974 and went on to serve as a recorder.

But in 2000 he answered a call from the United Nations, who were looking for judges to deal with the aftermath of the NATO intervention in Kosovo.

The judge was one of several legal professionals appointed to preside over district courts in Kosovo.

In what Judge Clayson described as "a massive learning curve" he was called upon to deal with very sensitive cases, including war crimes, terrorism and murder.

He has previously admitted that such cases were tough to deal with, but he persisted because of a sense of responsibility to the people of Kosovo.

"It just makes you appreciate so much more keenly what we have here," he said.

"And, also I think it gave me more confidence in making judgements about the gravity of the cases that come before me on a daily basis."