Eight youths accused of the murder of 16-year-old Ramarni Crosby in Gloucester will stand trial in June.

The victim, known as Marni, who was from the Frampton and Severn area of the city, suffered multiple stab wounds on the evening of December 15 last year.

He died at the scene.

On Thursday, Dean Bradley Smith, 19, of Moreland, Gloucester; two 17-year-old boys; three 16-year-old boys and two 15-year-old boys appeared at Bristol Crown Court.

All seven of the younger defendants denied murder, while Smith is to be arraigned at a later date.

Their pleas had to be taken in two batches as not all the defendants could fit in the dock at one time.

Also present in the well of court was 19-year-old Keishaleigh Margrett-Whitter, who is charged with two counts of assisting an offender.

She is accused of helping one of the 17-year-old defendants by providing fresh clothes and a new sim card, and giving a new sim card to one of the 15-year-olds.

Margrett-Whitter denied both counts.

The trial is estimated to take place over five weeks and is scheduled to start on June 15.

Last week, Gloucestershire Police announced it had arrested four women aged 40, 35, 21 and 20 and one 17-year-old boy on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Four of the five suspects, who are all from Gloucester, have been released under investigation, while one has been released on bail.