Man facing trial next year over murder of two boys in Brentwood
He's been remanded in custody until his next hearing.
Last updated 28th Oct 2021
A man who is charged with the murders of two teenage boys in Essex is facing a trial next year.
Frankie Watson, 19, is accused of killing 16-year-olds Charlie Preston and Frankie Gater, who died in Brentwood in Essex in the early hours of Sunday.
He is also charged with the attempted murder of a third boy, who cannot be named due to reporting restrictions, and with possession of an offensive weapon.
Watson appeared before Basildon Crown Court by video-link from Chelmsford Prison on Thursday, remaining seated at a desk as he listened to proceedings.
He was not asked to enter pleas to the charges.
Watson spoke to confirm his identity, and after he was addressed by Judge Ian Graham the defendant said to him: “Thank you, sir.”
No application for bail was made and Watson was remanded in custody until a plea hearing on December 23.
A provisional trial date was set for August 22 next year with a time-estimate of three weeks.
The two deceased can be named after the judge agreed to an application from the PA news agency to lift reporting restrictions in respect of the pair, which were imposed at an earlier magistrates’ court hearing.
He said: “There’s no restriction on reporting the case in respect of the two deceased persons in the case.”
A third boy was treated for non-life-threatening injuries following the disturbance at Regency Court in Brentwood and is subject of the attempted murder charge.
Police were called to the scene at around 1.30am and several arrests were made.
Two men – a 20-year-old from Grays and a 21-year-old from South Ockendon – were arrested on suspicion of murder, before being released on bail to November 19.
A 40-year-old man from Brentwood has also been released under investigation.
Essex Police said four others were arrested over the incident but face no further action: a 20-year-old man from South Ockendon and three men from Grays aged 19, 20, and 49.
The force added that officers had seized around 200 hours of CCTV footage and spoken to more than 20 people as part of the investigation.