Two boys to face trial after 13-year-old murdered in Oldbury

Two boys charged with the murder of a 13-year-old have appeared in court ahead of their trial next year.

The youths, who cannot be identified because of their age, are accused of murdering Jahziah Coke, who died in Oldbury, near Birmingham, on August 29.

His alleged killers appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Tuesday alongside a man in his 40s, who also cannot be named due to legal reasons.

At the same court in October, the juvenile defendants both entered not guilty pleas to a single count of murder, while the adult defendant pleaded not guilty to a charge of assisting an offender between August 29 and September 1.

Sitting at the back of the court room alongside custody officers, both of the youths wore tracksuits to the hour-long hearing, with one holding a fidget toy, while the adult defendant sat in the dock.

The trio will face a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court on March 4, lasting at least three weeks, in front of Mrs Justice Tipples.

Setting out ground rules ahead of the trial, Judge Michael Chambers KC said counsel would not wear their formal robes, the youth defendants would be allowed to sit in the well of the court and be referred to by their first names - and both would have an intermediary to sit with them and explain anything they did not understand.

The number of people in the public gallery for the trial would also be limited to prevent "distraction" to the youth defendants.

The judge also refused an application made by the PA news agency to vary a court order which prevents the reporting of the address where the murder is alleged to have occurred.