Boys charged with murder of Oldbury schoolboy Jahziah Coke appear together in court

The two boys, who are being held at secure youth mental health units, were ordered to be brought into court after a hearing yesterday was marred by video link problems. 

Due the boys being held at separate units in the North of England the hearing was timetabled for the afternoon to ensure they could speak to their legal counsel before the hearing today (Tuesday, December 17). 

The boys, who cannot be named due to their age, are accused of murdering Jahziah Coke, on August 29, in Oldbury.

 A man in his 40s, who also cannot be named due to legal reasons, is charged with assisting an offender between August 29 and September. 

The boys, who wore tracksuits, sat at the back of the court next to custody officers, whilst the man sat in the dock.

All three defendants have pleaded not guilty and their trial will be at Wolverhampton Crown Court on March 4. This week's hearings concern pre-trial details and setting a timetable for defence statements to be completed. 

Justice Michael Chambers KC told the defendants there would need to be different rules for the case, which will be heard in front of Judge Amanda Tipples, due to the age of the boys. 

The boys will have intermediaries who will sit with them to explain anything they do not understand, counsel will not wear formal robes and the boys will be referred to by their first names. 

The case is due to last three weeks but due to shorter court sessions which help children's attention span, the case could take longer. There will also be a limit on the number of people in the public gallery, which has been full for every hearing the boys have appeared, to prevent distractions for the defendants. 

The murder of Jahziah sparked a huge outpouring of grief in the Oldbury community and Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the killing as "senseless".