Boys deny murder outside legion club
TWO teenagers have denied murdering 18-year-old Eddie O’Rourke in Runcorn last month.
The defendants, aged 15 and 17, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday where they pleaded not guilty before His Honour Judge Roger Dutton, Honorary Recorder Of Chester.
The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were remanded back into custody to await trial, to start on March 5 and expected to last three weeks, presided over by a High Court judge.
The older defendant pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of possessing an offensive weapon, namely a knife, in a public place.
The younger of the two is to enter his plea to the same offence at a later date.
They were charged with murder following an altercation that is believed to have spilled outside at the Halton Royal British Legion social club on Castle Road in Halton Village, Runcorn, on the evening of Friday, September 7, where Edmund O’Rourke, 18, was seriously injured.
He was taken to hospital by ambulance but died from what a previous court appearance heard was a stab wound.
At the hearing on Tuesday, the main public seating area in the courtroom was nearly full while a separate smaller group of members ● of the public – two men and two women – sat on the opposite seating area across the courtroom.
There were sighs and some of those watching wept when the defendants entered their not guilty murder pleas.
Nigel Power appeared for the prosecution via video link, while Benjamin Knight represented the 15-year-old and Simon Mills spoke on behalf of the older defendant.
Legal submissions dates were agreed between the legal counsel. Both teenagers are from Runcorn. They appeared in the dock in casual clothing, one in a jumper, the other a tracksuit top.