Technical measure at Exeter Crown Court.

A judge has approved the continued detention of two men accused of conspiring to murder soul singer Joss Stone.

Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, extended custody time limits on Kevin Liverpool, 34, and Junior Bradshaw, 31, until their next hearing March.

It is a technical measure which is necessary because the law requires any detention longer than six months to be reviewed by a judge.

Liverpool has denied conspiracy to murder, rob and cause grievous bodily harm to the 24-year-old singer between January 1 and June 14 this year. Bradshaw has yet to enter pleas at Exeter Crown Court.

Both men were arrested in June 2011 near her home in Ashill, East Devon, and have been in custody ever since. The case was originally set down for hearing in August, but was adjourned for legal reasons.

The case was adjourned by the judge for further medical tests on Bradshaw to determine if he is fit to plead.

Liverpool was remanded in custody and Bradshaw will remain under assessment in a hospital in Manchester. Both men were living at St Stephens Close, Manchester, at the time of their arrests.

Judge Gilbert said he was satisfied the prosecution have shown all due diligence and were ready for trial at the original date.

He said: “It would be a grave injustice not to allow the opportunity of a fresh psychiatric report to investigate Bradshaw’s fitness to plead.”