A 16-year-old boy has pleaded not guilty to the murder of a 14-year-old girl, whose body was found in a park in Wolverhampton.
The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons because of his age, was remanded in custody by a judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday.
The teenager is due to stand trial in November accused of killing Viktorija Sokolova earlier this year. The body of Lithuanian-born girl was found by a member of the public in West Park, Wolverhampton, in April.
Judge James Burbidge QC told the defendant that he is likely to appear for a pre-trial hearing two weeks before his trial at the Crown Court in either Birmingham or Wolverhampton, the Press Association reported.
The youth spoke only to confirm his name and plea during a half-hour hearing on Friday. He has yet to enter a plea to a charge of rape.