Teenager to appear in court over death of seven-year-old Katie Rough

A teenager accused of murdering seven-year-old Katie Rough is due to appear in court.

Katie was found with severe lacerations to her neck and chest on a playing field in York last month and died later in hospital.

The teenager was arrested after Katie was found injured and charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon, a knife.

She is due to appear for the second time at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday.

At the last hearing, before the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC, members of Katie's family attended and sat on the jury bench to listen to the proceedings.

There was no application for bail and she was remanded into youth detention accommodation.

On Monday, hundreds of mourners donned rainbow-coloured accessories to celebrate Katie's life at her funeral at York Minster.

Around 400 people packed into the cathedral for a service led by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu.

Dr Sentamu told the congregation that he sat with Katie's coffin overnight after realising she would be alone following a family service at his Bishopthorpe Palace residence.

Mourners wore bright scarves and ties and a number of young children wore rainbow-coloured hair bows after they were asked by Katie's parents to dress formally but with a colourful twist.

A number of family members gave tearful Bible readings and Katie's uncle, Steven Rough, paid tribute to his niece.

He said: "We should focus on how happy she made us when she was in our lives."

Mr Rough described "daddy's girl" Katie's love of the outdoors and reading, particularly poetry and Dr Seuss, and talked about her family's memories.

He said: "Her family were her world."