The trial over the death of 12-year-old Ava White is set to open today.
Last week, the trial formally began, with 47 potential jurors being brought into the court for selection. The case was adjourned and this week the trial is set to open.
Ava died on Thursday, November 25 last year after being stabbed in Liverpool city centre. She had been out with friends to watch the Christmas lights switch-on before the stabbing.
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Police report that she was involved in a "verbal argument" in Church Alley, which escalated into an "assault on her with a knife", at around 8.35pm. She was taken to hospital, but died from what a post-mortem examination found was a stab wound to her neck.
A 14-year-old boy, from South Liverpool, was charged with murder some time later. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies murder but he admits having an offensive weapon, namely a knife.
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".
