A man and a teenager have appeared at Maidstone Crown Court accused of murdering university student Ben Neilson.

Zion Covey and Gareth Powell had been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent after Ben was seriously injured in Ashford town centre on April 21.

The charge was increased to murder after the 21-year-old, of Essella Road, Willesborough, died a week later in a London hospital.

Covey, 21, of Lynsted Close, Stanhope, and Powell, 19, of Bensted, South Ashford, will return to court on August 3 to enter pleas.

A provisional trial date was set for November 9. They were remanded in custody.

Ben, who attended Norton Knatchbull School, was home from Northumberland University, studying for a degree in quantity surveying, for the Easter holidays when he was badly hurt.