THE trial of Stroud man Paul Tabb is due to start today, Tuesday, at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Tabb, 30, of Stanley View, Dudbridge, denies perverting the course of justice in relation to the death of former Prince's Trust worker Nick Bonnie.

It is alleged that he provided false witness statements to police after Mr Bonnie's death.

The three day trial is expected to begin this morning, Tuesday.

Tabb has already pleaded guilty to possession of MDMA and cocaine.

At a hearing earlier this year, three other men - James Churchill, aged 30, of Selsley West, Dean Neale, aged 29, of Moseley Crescent, Stroud and Simon Lloyd-Jones, aged 29, of Foxmoor Lane, Stroud, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice in relation to Mr Bonnie's death.

They were due to be sentenced on Wednesday, July 23 but will now be dealt with after the Tabb trial.

Earlier this year, Churchill pleaded guilty to six counts of supplying a Class A drug while Neale admitted possessing MDMA and cocaine.

Mr Bonnie, 30, who grew up in King’s Stanley, collapsed and died in September last year after an incident at a nightclub in Manchester.