An alleged terrorist accused of fatally stabbing Sir David Amess will appear at the Old Bailey on Friday.

Ali Harbi Ali, 25, is charged with murdering the Conservative MP for Southend West during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on October 15.

He is also charged with preparing acts of terrorism between May 1 2019 and September this year.

On Friday, Ali, who is in custody, is due to appear at the Old Bailey before Mr Justice Sweeney for a preliminary hearing.

A provisional trial date has already been identified for March 7 next year.

Ali is accused of travelling by train from his home in Kentish Town, north London, to attend Sir David’s surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church.

During the meeting, he was allegedly seen to use his mobile phone before standing up, producing a large knife from his pocket and repeatedly stabbing Sir David.

The veteran MP was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.10pm and a preliminary post-mortem report gave the cause of death as multiple stab wounds to the chest.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) alleges the murder has a terrorist connection because of its “religious and ideological” motives.