Two teenage boys have appeared in court charged with the murder of 16-year-old Mikey Roynon, who was stabbed during a house party last weekend in a suburb of Bath.
A 15-year-old boy from Dorset and a 16-year-old boy from Wiltshire appeared separately before Bristol youth court on Thursday afternoon. They are jointly charged with murder and each face a separate count of having a bladed article – described as a 10in (26cm) Rambo knife – in a public place.
The district judge Lynne Matthews remanded the boys into youth detention and said they would next appear at Bristol crown court on Friday.
She told them: “I can’t let you go home, I have no choice about that. You will be remanded into youth detention accommodation. If you go with the officers now they will take you somewhere safe.”
Neither boy entered pleas to the charges against them.
Mikey, an aspiring rapper who had just completed his GCSEs, died from a single stab wound on Saturday night.
DI Mark Newbury, the senior investigating officer, said: “This is a significant development in our investigation and in our quest to achieve justice for Mikey. His family have been informed and specialist family liaison officers continue to support them. They have been at the forefront of our minds as we’ve carried out the inquiries which have resulted in these charges.
“The investigation is ongoing and there is still a lot of work for us to do. The cordon has now been reduced but officers are likely to remain at the property for the next few days. The support of the local community has been invaluable and I’d once again like to thank them for their patience and understanding.”
Mikey, also known by his stage names Mikey Young or YM, from Kingswood, south Gloucestershire, was allegedly stabbed at about 11pm on Saturday at a house on Eastfield Avenue and died at the scene.
A crowdfunding page has been set up to help his family with the funeral arrangements. Its organiser posted: “Mikey was such a kind loving and thoughtful soul who cared so much about his friends and family. He was so funny and fearless.”
Earlier in the week, Avon and Somerset police said more than 100 officers and staff were involved in the inquiry and a knife had been recovered in the area.
Newbury said: “Around 50 to 60 people, the majority of which were children, were inside the property at the time and sadly witnessed things no one would want them to see. As a result, we are working closely with our partners to ensure they have access to support, including specialist counselling.”
Last month, in an unrelated incident, Ben Moncrieff, 18, died in Bath city centre. A 15-year-old boy from south London has been charged with murder and possession of a bladed article.
