Judge halts lay-by murder trial

The trial of three people accused of murdering a 17-year-old Essex girl has been halted by a judge for legal reasons, police said.

Kerry Bauer, 20, Nicole Hollinshead, 19, and Steven Wood, 23, have denied killing Debra Carne.

Prosecutors at Chelmsford Crown Court alleged that Debra was murdered, set alight and dumped in a lane by two friends following a teenage row over another girl's boyfriend.

Mr Wood, of Parker Way, Halstead; Miss Bauer, of St Michael's Road, Braintree; and Miss Hollinshead, of Raven's Avenue, Halstead, all deny murder and conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm.

Debra, of Sible Hedingham, Essex, was found dead in a country lane in nearby Castle Hedingham in June last year.

The trial began a month ago.

An Essex Police spokesman said it was not yet known if and when a new trial would begin.