12-year-old boy accused of murdering a 60-year-old “pillar of her community” by running her over with her own car has been remanded into secure accommodation by magistrates.
Marcia Grant died after she was trapped under her Honda Accord, which is alleged to have reversed over her at speed outside her semi-detached home in the Greenhill area of Sheffield on Wednesday evening.
The boy, who cannot be identified due to his age, appeared at Sheffield Youth Court on Saturday charged with murdering the grandmother and possessing a bladed article.
He is alleged to have reversed the car over Mrs Grant, leaving her with catastrophic injuries.
He smiled occasionally as he looked around the court and listened to a prosecutor discuss the allegations against him with two magistrates.
The defendant stood in the glass-fronted dock flanked by two security officers during the 30-minute hearing, speaking to confirm his identity.
The youngster, who was wearing a dark blue jumper over an open-necked light blue shirt and blue trousers, was ordered to appear at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday.
The boy sat for part of the hearing, fidgeting from time to time and looking round at the court, which was filled with police, journalists, lawyers and representatives from social care and youth offending teams.
Chair of the bench Alan Kelleher told him he would be remanded into secure youth detention until his next court appearance next week.
Earlier, prosecutor Gary Crothers outlined to the magistrates what had happened as the court discussed the youngster’s remand situation.
Mrs Grant was pronounced dead at the scene of Wednesday’s incident outside her house in Hemper Lane, Greenhill.
The boy was charged with possession of a bladed article relating to a silver kitchen knife alleged to have been found by police called to the incident.
Mrs Grant’s family released a statement after her death which said: “Marcia was a warm, loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend and a pillar of her community.
“Her loss has already sent shockwaves through all who knew her or was lucky enough to be included in her orbit.
“We ask for privacy at this time while further investigations are under way and the family try to come to terms with this enormous loss.”
A number of floral tributes had been left outside the property which had police tape across the driveway.
One message read: “I’m so sorry for your loss. She was a beautiful soul.”
