A teenage boy charged with murdering 12-year-old Birmingham schoolboy Leo Ross has been further remanded in custody at a brief court appearance.
The 15-year-old youth, who cannot be named because of his age, spoke only to confirm his name and was not asked to enter any pleas at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday.
The boy is accused of murdering Leo, whom police said was stabbed in the stomach, on a riverside path in the Hall Green area on January 21.
Appearing in person after being taken to court from youth detention accommodation, the teenager, wearing a grey tracksuit and a white T-shirt, was told his five-week trial is still expected to start on June 23.
The defendant is also charged with possessing a bladed article, assaulting a woman on October 22 last year, seriously assaulting a woman on January 19 and January 20, and assaulting a woman on January 21.
Adjourning the case after hearing submissions from prosecutor Rachel Brand KC and defence lawyer Alistair Webster KC, Judge Melbourne Inman KC told the youth: “I am not going to repeat all those directions.
“The effect of them is that your lawyers will have all the material they need to make sure the issues in this case are properly considered.
“The trial is listed to take place at Coventry (Crown Court).”
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, near Scribers Lane, where members of the public had summoned the emergency services just after 3pm.
In a statement issued shortly after his death, Leo’s family said: “We want everyone to know what an amazing, kind, loving boy Leo was.
“Not only has Leo’s life been taken, all of our lives have as well. Leo will be truly missed by all of us. He was loved so much by everyone.”
