Two teenagers have been charged in Britain with the murder last week of 15-year-old Johnny Delaney, a member of the Travelling community in Liverpool.
He was attacked and beaten to death by a gang of teenagers between Lybben Road and New Grosvenor Road in the Liverpool suburb of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, at 5.50 p.m. last Wednesday. It is believed he had been visiting friends and was walking through some fields before being chased and then kicked and beaten by the gang.
Police are now investigating if the murder was racially motivated.
A post-mortem result revealed the youth died from blunt force injuries to his head, which police confirmed were as a result of being punched and kicked.
Five teenagers were arrested on Wednesday night. Three were released, but two 15-year-olds appeared at Chester Youth Court and were officially charged with the murder of Johnny Delaney.
They have been remanded at a youth detention centre and will appear at Chester Youth Court on Thursday.
Speaking shortly after his death, the boy's parents appealed for the public to come forward and help police with their enquiries.
"Johnny was a lovely child and was loved by everybody who knew him," they said in a statement.
The teenager, who would have celebrated his 16th birthday next week, lived among the Irish Travelling community at Tara Park, Oil Street, Liverpool.
Cheshire Police confirmed he was born in Derby but would have had Irish citizenship. A date for his funeral has not been confirmed yet, but police say it is expected to take place in Co Carlow.
Detectives at Store Street Garda station in Dublin are still appealing for witnesses to help with their investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr James Kavanagh last week.
Mr Kavanagh died on Friday from injuries sustained during an assault at the 77A bus stop at Eden Quay in Dublin city centre on Tuesday night.