Sofyen murder: accused refused bail

Six teenagers accused of the murder of Sofyen Belamouadden were refused bail by a judge at the Old Bailey today. Appearing in court for the first time, the accused join a growing band of suspected killers who are such a big group now that the courts service has elected to try them in two batches, probably in January next year.

So that means that not only does Sofyen's family have to wait the best part of six months for a trial but the accused, who of course remain innocent until proven guilty, have to spend all that time in what is likely to be a very tough environment for that time too.

I don't imagine they'll get much sympathy for that but does it really have to take that amount of time?

Most of the accused come from the area where I spend most of my days at work, down in Stockwell south London. It's an area with immense problems and just last friday on my way to the tube I managed to walk into an area being taped off by police after a shooting incident. There doesn't seem much hope of things getting better any time soon.