Boy, 14, Pleads Not Guilty to Murder of Lilly Jones in South Wales Park

A 14-year-old boy has entered a not guilty plea to the charge of murdering a teenage girl whose body was found in a south Wales park. The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared via video link at Newport Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Lilly Jones, 13, was reported missing on 14 December 2023. Her body was subsequently discovered two days later in woodland near Parcs Trelai in Ely, Cardiff. A forensic post-mortem examination determined the cause of death.

The court has scheduled a trial date for 10 June. The trial is expected to last approximately three weeks.