THE trial of three teenage boys and a woman from Whitstable accused of murdering father-of-three Mark Witherall at his home in the town is due to start on Thursday.

A jury was sworn in at Maidstone Crown Court today and then sent away until legal argument had been dealt with.

Curtis Delima, 19, of Regent Street, Carley Firminger, 20, Mark Elliott, 19, both of Sandpiper Road, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, deny murder.

Delima and Elliott deny conspiracy to burgle Mr Witherall’s home in King Edward Street. The 16-year-old admits the charge.

Mr Witherall, who was 47, was found with serious injuries outside his home on January 27 last year. He died in hospital six weeks later.

Judge Timothy Pontius told the jury of eight men and four women that the trial was expected to last until the end of next month.