A BOY aged 17 accused of murder is facing the prospect of a four-week trial.

The youth, who is the subject of a court order banning him from being identified, has been charged with the murder of Jay Whiston outside a house party in Colchester last September.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how most of the papers in the case were with the youth's defence lawyers and a plea and case management hearing will take place on August 5.

If he denies murder, a provisional date for a trial has been set for October 21.

Alan Compton, defending, said: "On the assumption of a single defendant trial, I would have thought we will be looking at a four week trial estimate."

The youth, wearing a red sweatshirt and dark trousers, spoke only once to confirm his name during yesterday’s hearing.

There was no application for bail and he was remanded in custody.

The court heard a decision on another person linked to the case is still awaited.

Three men, two aged 19 and one aged 18, who were arrested on suspicion of murder will answer bail until Thursday, July 25.

A man, 51, a woman, 42 and a man, 19, are also on bail until arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender are on bail until Thursday, July 25.

Alan Loughlin, 18, of Titania Close, Colchester, and Kieran Marsh, 18, of Creffield Road, Colchester, have been bailed to appear at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on July 30 charged with intimidating a witness.

A girl, 16, and a woman, 18, both from Clacton, have been bailed until August have been arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation.

Jay, 17, of Aster Close, Clacton, was killed from a stab wound outside a house in Marlowe Way, Lexden on September 8 last year.