A MURDER accused has repeatedly refused to leave his jail cell to see his legal team although his trial at Bradford Crown Court is set to take place in less than three months, it was revealed today.

Stanislav Misko had also declined to see a clinical psychiatric who attended Leeds Prison with a Slovakian interpreter to prepare a medical assessment, his barrister Stephen Wood said.

Misko, 47, of Carlisle Road, Manningham, Bradford, is charged with stabbing to death Marek Benak, 23, in the early hours of October 23.

Mr Benak, a fellow Slovakian, of no fixed address, died from a single stab wound to the stomach after an alleged argument at a house party in Great Horton Road, Bradford.

A trial date of April 23 was fixed at an earlier hearing and Misko was yesterday due to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty to the charge.

But Mr Wood told the court: "There have been difficulties, to put it mildly."

Misko first refused to see Dr John Kent at the prison and, on December 29, he would not see his publicly funded solicitor.

On January 9, the lawyer got to see Misko for six minutes but he would not come out of his cell for three further attempted consultations.

Mr Wood said Misko sent messages to say his back was hurting so much that he could not walk.

The solicitor had also sent follow-up letters telling Misko it was very important that he engaged with them in the preparation of his defence case.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, said it was "a grossly unsatisfactory state of affairs."

He asked Misko, who wore a blue jumper and light-coloured jacket: "Why haven't you met with these solicitors?"

"They tried six times in the last few weeks to see you and you refused to see them."

Misko said his daughter had found him new solicitors. He had seen them twice but did not know their names or the name of the practice.

Judge Thomas told Misko he had "a perfectly good solicitor and barrister representing him."

He adjourned the case until February 11, urging him to see his legal team in the court cells immediately after the hearing.