A MAN accused of stabbing his friend with a vegetable knife will appear at crown court.

Richard Burke, 59, is charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Thomas Wayman, by cutting his finger and stabbing him in the shoulder in Groom Park, Clacton, yesterday.

Mr Wayman needed four stitches to his finger and five stitches to the stab wound in his shoulder after the incident, which happened at around 12.15pm.

Burke, who lives in a council flat in Groom Park, was remanded in custody on Tuesday and appeared at Colchester Magistrates Court this morning wearing a prison-issue red jumper.

Chairman of the bench David Druitt ordered Burke, who entered no plea, to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on February 24.

He released Burke on conditional bail, not to contact Mr Wayman, not to go to St Osyth Road in Clacton and to have an electronic tag fitted, restricting him to a curfew between 5pm and 7am at his home address.