Mr Ian Huntley has gone on trial for the murders of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. The 29-year old former school caretaker denies killing the 10-year-old schoolgirls after they disappeared from their homes in August last year, sparking one of the biggest manhunts in British history.
Mr Huntley's ex-girlfriend, a former teaching assistant at the girls' school, Ms Maxine Carr, 26, will stand trial alongside him, accused of perverting the course of justice - a charge she too denies.
The two accused and the parents of the murdered schoolgirls were at the Old Bailey in London for the start of the trial today.
But the first two days were expected to be taken up with procedural matters, including selecting a jury that will have to sit through a case expected to run for four months.
Holly and Jessica, best friends and avid Manchester United soccer fans, disappeared on August 4th, 2002 from their homes in the small town of Soham, Cambridgeshire.
Their disappearance prompted a massive search involving almost 500 police officers from a total of 25 forces and members of the public.
But the 13-day hunt ended in horror when the girls' decomposing bodies were discovered buried in woods in Lakenheath, Suffolk, about 15 miles (24 kilometres) from their home.
The bodies were so badly disfigured that coroners were unable to determine the cause of death.
The double murder - which attracted media attention from across the world and some 58,000 entries in a book of condolence for the girls' families - shattered the small Soham community and prompted a wave of paranoia among parents worried their children too would become victims.
The prosecution case will be presented by a team of three barristers led by Mr Richard Latham, and defence counsel is Mr Stephen Coward while Ms Carr will be represented by Michael Hubbard.
Court officials said they did not expect Mr Latham to begin his opening prosecution statement until Wednesday.