TWO people have been charged with intimidating witnesses following the murder of Jay Whiston.

Alan Loughlin, 18, of Titania Close, Colchester, was charged with three counts of intimidating a witness.

Kieran Marsh, 18, of Creffield Road, Colchester, was charged with two counts of intimidating a witness.

Both will appear at Colchester Magistrates' Court on July 30.

Jay, 17, of Aster Close, Clacton, was stabbed to death in Marlowe Way, Lexden, at a house party on September 8 last year.

A 17-year-old from Colchester, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is currently on remand after being charged with murder.

He will next appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on August 5.

Jay, a student at Frinton’s Tendring Technology College, had been partying with friends at the house in Lexden, when he was stabbed three times, one of which was to his heart.

He was taken to Colchester General Hospital, but was pronounced dead soon after his arrival.
 

Three suspects, two aged 19 and one 18-year-old, all from Colchester, remain on police bail on suspicion of murder until July 25 while investigations continue.

A 16-year-old girl, and an 18-year-old woman from Clacton have been re-bailed, also on suspicion of witness intimidation until August.