A man and three teenagers have appeared in court charged with beating to death an Asian youth in a West Yorkshire park.

The body of Amar Aslam, 17, was discovered on Sunday night in a walled garden in Crow Nest Park in Dewsbury. He had suffered a “sustained and vicious beating” and died from head injuries, according to West Yorkshire police.

Three 15-year-old youths and a 20-year-old man have been charged with murder and robbery and took the stand today at Dewsbury Magistrates Court.

Each of the defendants was led into court handcuffed to security guards and spoke only to confirm their names, ages, dates of birth and addresses.

Family and friends filled the public gallery to watch the brief hearing but none of the accused showed any emotion as the charges were read out by the court clerk.

He told them: “On the 25th May this year at Cemetery Road, Dewsbury, it is alleged you murdered Amar Aslam. You are further charged, on the same date and place it is alleged you robbed Amar Aslam of a mobile phone, cash to the value of £10 and a silver chain, and at the time of doing so, and in order to do so, you used force on Amar Aslam.”

No applications for bail were made.

Three further suspects, another fifteen-year-old and two boys, were arrested over the killing but have been released on bail pending further enquiries.

Times Recommends

• Wartime couple are reunited 68 years on
• 50 People of the Decade
• Book round-ups. Turkeys tarted up. I feel sick