Two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, have appeared in court charged with the murders of 16-year-olds Charlie Bartolo and Kearne Solanke in south-east London.
Kearne was stabbed in Titmuss Avenue, Thamesmead, and Charlie was found a mile away in Sewell Road, Abbey Wood, on Saturday afternoon.
The teenagers spoke to confirm their names, dates of birth and addresses as they appeared at Bexley magistrates court in separate hearings.
The 15-year-old’s mother wept in court as the details of the case were heard. The prosecutor, Sophie Akister, said: “There was an attack on the first victim, during that the second was also fatally stabbed. The first victim was knocked off his bike by a car, and then he was stabbed.”
Susan Polydorou, the chair of the bench, told each defendant: “Because the charges you face are very serious, two charges of murder, we have to send this to the central criminal court.”
The pair were remanded into youth detention accommodation and will appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.
The Metropolitan police said the 16-year-old boy had been arrested on Tuesday and the 15-year-old later in the day.
The Met added that an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the murders of Charlie and Kearne on Friday morning.
DCI Kate Blackburn from the Met’s specialist crime command said: “Today is another step forward in our investigation into this shocking incident, but I would reiterate my appeal to anyone who has information about the events that resulted in the deaths of Charlie and Kearne to come forward and speak to police.”
Police were called at about 5.10pm on Saturday to reports that two people had been injured at the respective locations. “Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, both boys sadly died,” the force said.