Shropshire Star

No plea from teen charged with harbouring murder accused

A teenager has appeared in court in Shropshire accused of harbouring an alleged murderer.

Published

Jake Dykstra appeared at Telford Magistrates Court yesterday.

The 19-year-old, of Anselm Avenue, Bury St Edmunds, is accused of harbouring Declan Graves in his house and facilitating his journey to Liverpool.

The charge of assisting an offender dates back to between July 31, 2016 and August 5, 2016.

Graves, of Dymchurch Road, in Liverpool, has denied murdering 16-year-old Michael Warham in the Meole Brace area of Shrewsbury last year.

Dykstra was represented in court by Miss Emma Lineton and did not enter a plea to the charge of assisting an offender. His case was committed to Shrewsbury Crown Court for a plea and directions hearing on May 22 and he was granted conditional bail.

Graves' trial was held at Stafford Crown Court earlier this year but the jury was discharged after they were unable to reach a verdict upon which at least 10 of them were agreed.

Mr Warham, who was from the Bootle area of Merseyside, suffered stab wounds to his chest and abdomen following a coming together between two groups of men in Wayford Close.

He died at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on August 4. A date for Graves' retrial has been set for August 17.

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