A 13-YEAR-old girl accused of a part in the murder of a disabled Lincoln man has appeared in court.

She is believed to be the youngest female to face a murder charge since notorious child killer Mary Bell was arrested in 1968.

Yesterday, she appeared in court along with six others charged with killing 6ft 4in "gentle giant" Shaun Rossington.

The body of Shaun, 21, was found on grassland near the Waitrose supermarket in Lincoln on June 3 this year. He had suffered a severe head injury.

All seven – the 13-year-old girl, a 16-year-old girl, three 16-year-old boys, Mark Jackson, 20, and Nicholas Shelbourn, 26, both of Lincoln – were later arrested.

Yesterday, they all made a brief appearance at

Nottingham Crown Court, where the girl was allowed to sit alongside her solicitor instead of in the dock.

All seven are accused of murder, but no pleas will be taken until a further hearing at the same court on September 10.

A six-week trial is then expected to follow in October.

Richard Latham, QC, prosecuting, said CCTV footage and mobile phone evidence would form important parts of the case.

The five teenagers were all remanded to secure local authority care.

Shelbourn, of Edinburgh House, Lincoln, and Jackson, of Yarborough Road, Lincoln, were remanded into custody.

Shaun's parents, Sharon and Kevin Rossington, last saw their son alive late in the evening before his body was found. He was watching TV when they went to bed at the family home in Lincoln.

They suspected something was wrong when he was not home when they got up the following morning

Shaun's funeral was held at St Peter At Gowts Church in High Street, Lincoln, this week. It was attended by hundreds of mourners.