The trial of a teenage boy accused of the murder of 12-year-old Ava White will formally begin today ahead of the prosecution opening next week.
Ava was stabbed on the evening of Thursday, November 25 last year after visiting Liverpool city centre with friends to watch the Christmas lights being turned on. Police said she was involved in a "verbal argument" in Church Alley, off Church Street, which escalated into an "assault on her with a knife", at around 8.35pm.
Ava was taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, but died a short time later from what a post-mortem examination found was a single stab wound to her neck. A 14-year-old boy, from South Liverpool, who cannot be named for legal reasons because of his age, was arrested and charged with murder and possessing an offensive weapon.
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The boy denies murder. He has previously admitted having an offensive weapon - a knife - "without lawful authority or reasonable excuse" in the street where Ava was killed.
High Court judge Mrs Justice Amanda Yip has said the jury will be selected and empaneled at Liverpool Crown Court today, ahead of the trial opening on Monday, May 9. The trial is estimated to last three weeks and the ECHO will be providing live updates in a designated blog.
Ava, a Year 8 student at Notre Dame Catholic College in Everton, was described as "hugely" popular, "bright" and "unique". In the wake of her death, hundreds of people attended a vigil in the city centre and the Radio City tower was lit up blue in her memory.
Flowers and balloons were left in Church Street by those paying tribute to her, along with pictures, teddy bears and football shirts. The dad of the 12-year-old, Robert Martin, said the family were "completely devastated" and "heartbroken".
He said: "We would like to say thank you to everybody for their ongoing support during this devastating time. Thank you to every one of you for your kind messages and donations.
"As Ava's family we are completely devastated and heartbroken by what has happened and we ask that you respect our privacy at this time and allow us to grieve as a family."
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