A 14-year-old boy charged with murder has appeared in court after a body believed to be of a missing teenage girl was found.
The body has still not been formally identified after it was found in Duffryn Park in Blaina, Blaenau Gwent on 22 June, but police believe it is that of Lilly Jones, also 14, who was reported missing.
The boy from the Blaenau Gwent area, who cannot be named because of his age, appeared in Cardiff Crown Court on Monday for a hearing lasting 21 minutes. He spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address.
Wearing a short-sleeved white shirt, he was flanked by three prison custody officers and a supporting adult, and his mother blew him a kiss as he left the dock.
He was remanded into secure youth accommodation, and a plea and trial preparation hearing has been set for 24 July, with a trial lasting four weeks set to begin on 23 November.
