Teenager pleads not guilty to murder of schoolgirl Ava White stabbed to death in Liverpool

A teenage boy has pleaded not guilty to the murder of school girl Ava White in Liverpool.

Ava, 12, was at attending the Christmas lights switch-on in the city when she was stabbed on Thursday 25 November.

She was transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital where she died of her injuries.

The 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, namely a knife, in Church Alley on that date when he appeared on a video link from custody, accompanied by a woman.

He will stand trial for murder on 9 May.

There were around a dozen members of Ava White’s family in a public gallery, accompanied by police officers.

The judge told the boy there will be further hearings before the trial - expected to take three weeks - and he will required to attend those hearings, probably by video link.

He confirmed he understood.

Justice Yip said: “This is going to be a difficult trial for everyone involved in it and we will all be conscious of that.”