Four deny murder of 17-year-old boy

Four people have denied the murder of a 17-year-old boy in south Wales.

Ricardo Elliot, 27, Connor Palfrey, 24, Elexi Manny, 24, and Georgie Mears, 18, each pleaded not guilty to the murder of Tristan Kerr, 17.

The four defendants appeared before Merthyr Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing and spoke only to confirm their names, dates of birth, addresses and enter their pleas.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, has previously set a trial date for August 3 with a time estimate of six weeks.

A pre-trial review hearing will take place on July 24.

Elliot, of no fixed abode; Palfrey, of Abertridwr; Manny, of no fixed abode; and Mears, of no fixed abode, were all remanded into custody.

Emergency services were called to a property in Abertridwr, Caerphilly, South Wales, at around 5.45pm on February 5 this year following reports a teenage boy had sustained a serious injury.

The teenager was pronounced dead at the scene.