Jamie Reynolds denies murdering Georgia Williams

He will now appear at Stafford Crown Court on December 2 for a trial which is expected to last for two weeks.

Reynolds is charged with murdering the 17-year-old at his home in Avondale Road, Wellington, on Sunday, May 26 this year.

Appearing in the dock, he wore a dark grey suit and glasses and spoke only to confirm his name and reply "not guilty" in a soft voice when the charge was put to him.

Throughout the hearing, Reynolds – whose dark curly hair, small goatee beard and moustache were cropped short – stared down at his lap or straight ahead.

Georgia's parents Steven Williams – a detective constable with West Mercia Police – and Lynnette were joined in court by her older sister Scarlett.

The family maintained a dignified composure and wiped away tears as they listened to the hearing.

Judge Mrs Justice Thirlwall said the trial was "overwhelmingly likely" to be held in Stafford for the convenience of Georgia's family and all other parties involved.

Reynolds will remain in custody to await trial and there was no application for bail.

Georgia was last seen at 7.30pm on May 26 after telling her parents she was going to stay with friends.

When she did not return home, a nationwide search was mounted for sightings of Georgia.

Reynolds was arrested at a budget hotel in Glasgow on suspicion of kidnapping her on Thursday, May 30.

He was later arrested on suspicion of murder.

Georgia's body was found in woodland on the Nant-y-Garth pass, in north Wales, near Wrexham, five days after she disappeared.

A post mortem examination showed she had died as a result of pressure being applied to her neck between 8pm and 9pm on May 26.

People in Wellington and the wider Shropshire community were devastated by the teenager's death and about 800 people turned out to her funeral at All Saints' Church in Wellington on June 14.

The Georgia Williams Trust was launched to continue the teenager's legacy and raise money for other young people to take part in the sort of adventurous activities she loved.

Wristbands printed with the trust slogan Free Your Spirit – Join In and the image of a ferret, after Georgia's nickname, sold out in weeks and a second batch of 10,000 was released.

Georgia was a corporal in the air cadets and a former head girl of Ercall Wood Technology College in Wellington.

At the time of her death she was a member of the student council at New College and part of the match day safety team at AFC Telford United.