The jury has been sent out to deliberate in the trial over the murder of Helen Maughan.

The Honourable Mr Justice Bean spoke for just three minutes this morning at Chelmsford Crown Court, before sending the six men and six women out to consider their verdict.

He reminded jurors that they must consider the evidence for each of the juvenile defendants individually.

The judge told them that they have three options for each of the teenagers; guilty of murder; guilty of manslaughter; or not guilty.

The body of Helen Maughan, 24, was found in the River Colne, behind the Quilters bar in Colchester, on the morning of Sunday May 20.

The mother-of-two, of Propelair Way, Colchester, had last been seen drinking in the town on the evening of Friday May 18 and the early hours of Saturday May 19.

She had been beaten up and sexually assaulted before her body was dumped in the river.

Both teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have continually denied murdering her, each blaming the other.

At 10.20am the jury left to consider their verdicts.