Teenagers accused of murdering Kayden Moy on Irvine beach

Three teenagers have been accused of murdering a 16-year-old boy by chasing and stabbing him at a beach.

Kayden Moy from East Kilbride died in hospital the day after a large disturbance at Irvine beach in North Ayrshire on 17 May.

The three teenagers are Jay Stewart, who is now 18, and two youths aged 17 and 15, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

At a preliminary hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, they were accused of repeatedly stabbing Kayden and then attempting to pervert the course of justice in several ways, including fleeing the scene, hiding weapons and asking another person to burn blood stained clothes.

All three are accused of brandishing knives and a baton or similar instruments while at the beach and challenging others to a fight.

Prosecutors allege they repeatedly threw rocks at members of the public, placing them in danger of injury.

Jay Stewart is accused of being in possession of a knife and a baton, while the 17-year-old and 15-year-old are both accused of having knives.

The teenagers are alleged to have murdered Kayden by pursuing him, causing him to fall to the ground and then repeatedly stabbing him on the body with a knife, inflicting injuries which led to his death.

The charge says they had previously evinced malice and ill-will towards him.

A further charge alleges the trio attempted to pervert the course of justice over the following four days.

They are accused of wiping a knife on the ground to remove blood, hiding in bushes and fleeing from Irvine beach.

The charge alleges they travelled to East Kilbride, repeatedly covered their faces to conceal their identities from cameras and secreted knives within a bed frame and a freezer.

They are further accused of asking another person to burn their blood-stained clothing.

Jay Stewart is alleged to have committed the offences while on bail.

The case is scheduled to go to trial at the High Court in Glasgow in May next year.