Murder trial of four teenagers accused of killing 16-year-old delayed after defendant taken ill
The murder trial of four teenagers accused of killing a boy in Stourbridge has been delayed after one of the defendants did not attend court.
Joseph Riches, who was 16, died after being stabbed in Coventry Street in Stourbridge town centre in July.
Nineteen-year-old Dray Simmonds of Dixons Green Road, Dixons Green, Dudley; Joshua Edgington, of Hallewell Road, Winson Green, also 19; and two 16-year-olds who cannot be named, all pleaded not guilty to murder.
The murder trial started on Thursday at Coventry Crown Court but on Friday the trial was halted after Edgington did not attend court having told prison officers he could not leave jail due to illness.
Proceedings will begin again at 10.30am on Monday.
