Teenager accused of murdering 12-year-old remanded in custody until October
The 15-year-old boy, who cannot be identified because of his age, spoke only to confirm his name during legal discussions ahead of a trial planned to take place in February next year.
Prosecutors allege the youth murdered 12-year-old Leo, who was stabbed in the stomach on a riverside path in the Hall Green area, on January 21 this year.
Leo, a pupil at the Christ Church, Church of England Secondary Academy in Yardley Wood, died after being taken to hospital from the Shire Country Park, where members of the public had called emergency services.
Mr Justice Wall, sitting at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday, extended the custody time limits in the case after hearing submissions from prosecutor Rachel Brand KC and defence lawyer Alistair Webster KC.
The defendant has yet to enter pleas to charges of murder, assault, causing grievous bodily harm and having a knife in a public place relating to dates between October 22 last year and January 21.
Adjourning the case for a pre-trial review hearing to be held on October 6, the judge told the youth: 'That's the end of today's hearing.
'You are going to have another hearing in the autumn. Until that time you are remanded in custody.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
22 minutes ago
- The Sun
I found out my ‘single' lover had two young kids when I surprised him with birthday gift at his home
DEAR DEIDRE: SURPRISING my lover with a birthday gift at his home really backfired. He'd told me he lived alone but as I approached I saw him playing with two young kids who were obviously his. We met online, and after four dates, he stayed at mine for the weekend and we had brilliant sex. He told me he was single, saying his ex cheated and left him two years ago. We bonded over not seeing the signs your partner was cheating, as exactly the same thing happened to me. He was clever and knew how to get my confidence by pulling on my heart strings and making me feel sorry for him. I hadn't felt able to trust anyone for a long time, but when a friend persuaded me to try online dating again and I met this man, I really felt I could trust him. Now I'm questioning everything. He's clearly a very accomplished liar. He's 41 and drives a sports car. He said he'd never got married because he'd not met the right person. I'm 37 and female. He lives on an estate where my cousin lives, so I knew where to find him. His birthday was about a month after we started dating. I bought him a shirt and some aftershave and thought I'd surprise him. I drove to his street and saw his car. The property was on the end of a cul-de-sac so I drove down the side toward the back garden. As I pulled up, I got the shock of my life when I saw him playing with two little kids. I headed home in tears and when he called later, I told him what I'd seen. He said he could explain. He said he was married but getting divorced. He begged me not to dump him. Should I give him a chance? Dear Deidre: Spotting the signs your partner is cheating DEIDRE SAYS: You could but if he's not been honest, what makes you think he will be straight with you now? You only have his rather devalued word that he's seeking a divorce. He has children. So even if he was a free man, ask yourself if you are prepared to take on his children? If he is somebody you see a future with, tell him how you feel, but give him space to sort out his home life. Until then, sex is off limits. My support pack called Your Lover Not Free will help you explore every aspect of this relationship. I THINK MY POLE-DANCE GIRLFRIEND IS CHEATING DEAR DEIDRE: MY girlfriend says she needs to work as a pole-dancer to earn money to pay the bills, but I earn enough to support her and the kids. We've been together for ten years and are both 39. She likes to keep herself fit so learnt to pole-dance. I didn't mind until she wanted to go on a pole-dancing holiday with her mate from work. She Facetimed me every night, but I noticed she wasn't wearing her engagement ring. When she got back, I asked her to show me some videos and she wasn't wearing her ring in them either. She said jewellery can get 'caught on the pole or in clothing' but she's never mentioned that before. She also had some bruises on her and I was worried. She told me I'm being paranoid and if I don't stop going on about it, she's throwing me out. DEIDRE SAYS: You were right to question her behaviour but now she's told you why she wasn't wearing her ring, you have to give her the benefit of the doubt. The bruises could come from knocking herself against the pole. Now move forward. Tell her you love her and want to ensure your relationship is strong. If she enjoys pole-dancing, go and watch a session. If you feel it's too sexualised, work out a compromise. My support pack, How To Look After Your Relationship, explains how to improve trust between you. SHE SAYS MANHOOD PUTS HER OFF SEX DEAR DEIDRE: EVERY time we try to have sex my girlfriend gets scared because my penis is too big. We have been together for a year and are now planning to marry and share our lives – but this problem with sex threatens our happiness. I am 33, my girlfriend is 28 and we are both virgins. She is petite, less than 5ft, whereas I am around 6ft. We met through a mutual friend and there was instant chemistry. Everything is good in our relationship until we try to have sex. Each time, she quickly becomes upset and we have to stop. It is becoming very frustrating for both of us. I love her and want to enjoy sex with her, but don't want to hurt her. I know full sex with me could maybe be uncomfortable at first, but is there anything I can do to persuade her to keep trying? DEIDRE SAYS: A woman's vagina can usually expand to accommodate a large penis, but the problem may be that your girlfriend is not fully aroused before sex. Her anxiety about the pain won't help. My support pack First-time Fears will be useful. You need to go gently and have lots of sexy foreplay without rushing into intercourse. This can make all the difference. Experiment with different positions too. And my support pack Too Large? explains ways to help in more detail. WHY'S EX VISITING MY MUM AND DAD? DEAR DEIDRE: MY abusive ex has started calling my parents Mum and Dad. He remains friendly with them, while they don't want to see me or the kids. We were married for five years. He was a terrible husband and a poor father. We've got two boys, but he never took much notice of them. I do everything for them – feed them, clothe them, pay for their football training and karate classes. My ex could never keep a job, so it was always down to me to pay. I now have two jobs to keep a roof over our heads. I'm 38 and my ex is 40. He controlled me and made me lose touch with my parents and sister. He would never let me go to family gatherings. We split up eight months ago. He now has a new girlfriend and has taken her to meet my parents. It's such a kick in the teeth. I asked Mum whether she and Dad would come to our son's birthday party but she said, 'No, I've got visitors that day.' My sister told me it's my ex who is visiting and he's creeping around them. I don't know what his game is but he always comes up smelling of roses. He manipulated me to get into my life – now he's doing the same with my folks. DEIDRE SAYS: You fell for his charms and now, sadly, your parents are doing the same. You've dodged a bullet and your children will come to learn that you've made huge strides to protect them and keep their family life normal. While you're not actively seeing your parents, make sure your children are involved with extended family or their friends. You can find support through family-action. (0808 802 6666), which provides a listening ear when it comes to family issues. I hope your parents see the light soon.
The Sun
22 minutes ago
- The Sun
Acid attack thug who blinded dad posts rap videos glorifying violence on TikTok from his prison cell
A THUG who blinded a dad in one eye with acid has posted rap videos on TikTok — from his prison cell. Robbie Scott, 22, is shown glorifying violence in his performances recorded by a fellow lag. 6 6 6 6 The videos are posted under 'HMP hardest rapper Robdog' and are geo-tagged ' HMP Manchester (Strangeways) '. Scott was jailed for attacking Paul Laskey, who confronted him after he wielded a zombie knife to snatch a £1,000 gold chain from his 16-year-old son. Dad-of-three Mr Laskey said: 'He's supposed to be in prison to be punished, not trying to start a music career. 'It's disgraceful and must be stopped.' Scott used a drinks bottle to squirt a mixture of battery acid and superglue into Mr Laskey's face — destroying his left eye. Plumber Mr Laskey, 43, of Newcastle, said: 'The glue was mixed in so it would stick, letting the acid burn away flesh. 'I thought I was going to die. 'All I could do was restrain him with an arm around his neck while he tried to spray me a second time and flailed at me with a Rambo knife.' Scott was jailed for eight years and six months' in May last year after admitting GBH with intent, robbery, having a knife and a corrosive substance in public and resisting arrest. The sentence was later deemed unduly lenient and was raised to 11 years in a move praised by Solicitor General Sarah Sackman. Inside Britain's acid attack capital where kids ride around on bikes armed with Lucozade bottles full of brick cleaner The MP said: 'Robbie Scott's actions were cowardly and shameful.' But in one of his clips Scott, of Gateshead, raps: 'I used to roll on the streets with a kitchen knife, would not think twice about dipping guys.' In another he says: 'Robdog jailhouse settings, you know how we do, Geordie boys on coke, oh yes.' Mr Laskey added: 'When his sentence was extended, it seemed justice had been done. But there's no sign of remorse.' It is understood that the Ministry of Justice has asked TikTok to take down the videos. The Prison Service said: 'Any offender caught using a phone or social media in prison will face punishment, including extra time behind bars.' In January Jake Fahri, who killed 16-year-old Jimmy Mizen in a South London bakery in 2008, was recalled to prison after The Sun revealed he was a drill rapper who had performed on the BBC. 6 6
The Sun
22 minutes ago
- The Sun
I saw a little scroat shoplifting last week and what store owner told me was truly shocking – here's what gov MUST do
I POPPED into a corner shop to buy chocolate last week and a young man was doing the same. Except he wasn't buying, he was taking. Or should I say grabbing and running. 5 5 The shopkeeper just shrugged and said he does it almost daily. Sometimes chocolate or cheese, but more often than not, beer. 'It's pointless calling the police. They're not interested,' he added. OK, it was just a chocolate bar. And when Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson witnessed a 'brazen' theft in Hull's M&S last week, it was just a bunch of flowers. But these things add up. And when it involves professional gangs stealing over £120,000 worth of goods — as happened across 50 Morrisons stores last year — it's little wonder that shoplifting has surged to a record high. So what are those in authority doing about it? Well, not much if you listen to shopkeepers or any of the disgruntled motorists filling neighbourhood apps with grim tales of stolen cars and lack of police interest. But, according to Dame Diana, the Government is 'clamping down' on thefts by announcing funding for increased police presence in 500 town centres across the country by, er, 2029. Better late than never, one supposes, but in the meantime, the rhetoric from those in charge needs to change fast. For hot on the heels of saying the surge in shoplifting is 'unacceptable', Dame Diana followed it up with the observation that retailers should increase their security and make sure that goods aren't easily accessible to steal. N-ICE ONE- Iceland boss says customers will be PAID to snitch on thieves Seriously? She wouldn't (quite rightly) tell a sexual assault victim to dress more modestly for fear of attracting the wrong sort, so why should shopkeepers be expected to alter their store set-up simply because some little oik can't stay on the right side of the law? How about actually supporting businesses by providing deterrents such as, hmmm let me think, an arrest and court appearance? That might help. As for the Conservatives criticising Labour's plans, spare us. After 14 years in power, they did little to help local communities blighted by petty crime. And finally, we have Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber who reckons it's time for you, me and the shopkeepers to step up and do our bit for crime prevention. 'If you're not even going to challenge people, you're not going to try and stop them, then people will get away with it,' he says. 'That's not just about policing. That's a bigger problem with society . . . you're part of the problem.' Life ruined Who's he kidding? If people are reporting that car thefts aren't always investigated by police, why the hell should we believe anything will come of it if we take time out of our day to report a stolen roast chicken from our local supermarket? Earlier this week, 39-year-old Emilie Martin of East London spoke about her life being ruined when, in 2015, she spotted a group of teenagers stealing sandwiches in Tesco and reported them to the store manager who said they were powerless to stop them. The youths overheard the interaction and punched her in the face outside the shop. She had to have two operations on her eyes and nose, has been diagnosed with PTSD, and says London's Met Police has shown 'little concern' about the incident. Needless to say, no one was ever caught. Reporting or confronting thieves can be a dangerous game, and it's the job of the police and justice system to sort it out . . . not us. NEPAL PEAK SEASON 5 TOURISM to Everest has soared so much that the Nepalese government is opening 97 previously closed Himalayan mountain peaks to try and disperse the crowds. On a fine-weather day, the queue to the summit resembles that of Harrods ' Boxing Day sale. Meanwhile, there's an Alpine invasion too, with 'horrified' mountain refuge owners reporting a surge in 'first-timers' who turn up woefully ill-equipped for the conditions and expecting five-star luxury. One supposes that the never-ending quest for 'Instagrammable' shots has something to do with it, but apparently the Covid-19 pandemic also contributed because people craved solitude. It sounds like there's more chance of that if you stay in the city. JONES FANS SHAME 5 A US judge has ordered that all assets from Infowars – the company owned by shock jock Alex Jones – should be handed over to a court-ordered receiver. Quite right too. For anyone in ignorant bliss of Jones's far right rantings, he's the conspiracy theorist who claimed that the Sandy Hook school massacre was a staged hoax to help enact tighter gun control. The families of the dead victims – 20 young children and six teachers – sued him and won, but five years later the $1billion compensation remains unpaid. Will this be the end of the man whose other outlandish theories include that certain tornados are government orchestrated to deliberately kill people, that Hillary Clinton is running a child sex ring and that the government is using chemicals to turn people gay. It's unclear whether Jones himself believes the rubbish he spouts but, with reported personal wealth of $14million, he has certainly made money from it. But what about the people who contribute to his bank balance by tuning in and hanging on his every word? What's their excuse? ROBO STROP AS the autumn Budget looms and working people brace themselves for yet another potential tax grab, the stories of government waste continue. This time, it's the £100million spent by Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt last year to set up the Alan Turing Institute. The aim was to ensure the UK's position as a leader in AI technology, but the reported result is that it's 'in crisis' thanks to in-fighting and a 'toxic culture'. One academic has called it a 'car crash' while another said it was shaped too much by 'the political need to found an institution and claim we are internationally leading' when the money would have been better spent in support of existing AI academics in their own universities. A spokesman for the institute blathers about 'substantial organisational change to ensure we deliver on the promise . . . ' etc, all of which sounds expensive and suggests they've done bog all up to now. Oh the irony, but perhaps robots would have done a better job. SOME of the Afghans promised a new life in Britain after risking their lives to work with our soldiers are facing being deported back 'in to the arms of the Taliban'. Former frontline interpreter 'Hafiz' and his family have been stuck in a hotel in Pakistan 's capital Islamabad for the past two years and are still waiting for a visa to come here. Now, in what's been described as a 'horrifying development', there are reports of arrests by Pakistani police and possible deportation to Afghanistan. Rather than relying on official channels, it seems they'd have been better off jumping in a small boat and joining the 50,000 illegal migrants who have arrived here since 'smash the gangs' Labour took charge. CELEBRATE JOAN'S MAX FACTOR AT 92 5 DAME Joan Collins has posted a photo of herself enjoying the hot weather in St Tropez. Wearing a white one-piece and a colourful, wide-brimmed hat to protect her face from sun damage, she looks fabulous. But, as ever, a churlish few have commented that the image may have been filtered. Even if it has, so what? She's 92, for God's sake. Her brain is as sharp as a tack, she's travelling the world, dressing to kill, dining in fine restaurants and still working. That a nonagenarian is still able to live her life to the max should be celebrated, not sniped at.
