Three in court over death of 16-year-old girl

Three people have appeared in court charged with the murder of a 16-year-old girl in Leeds.

Chloe Watson Dransfield, from Gomersal, was found unconscious on Kennerleigh Avenue in Austhorpe shortly before 06:00 GMT on Saturday and died in hospital a short time later.

Kayla Smith, 18, of Kennerleigh Avenue, Archie Rycroft, 19, of Middleton Park Road, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Leeds Crown Court via video link.

No pleas were entered and the defendants were remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing due to take place on 1 May.

All three spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth during the short hearing, and no applications for bail were made.

A provisional date for a trial, estimated to last more than two weeks, was set for 10 November, though the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl KC, said the date may change.

"It's important that this matter is dealt with as soon as possibly can be - any delay should be kept to a minimum," he told the court.

The court was also told a second post-mortem examination for Chloe was not required.

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