Six men appeared in court today (May 11) charged with the murder of Aarron McKoy on New Year’s Day in Clerkenwell.

Three of the accused pleaded not guilty while the rest did not enter a plea at the Old Bailey this morning.

Mr McKoy, who lived in Hackney, was gunned down in Portpool Lane at around 4am on January 1 - the day of his 22nd birthday.

He died from bullet wounds to his chest.

Dean Smith, 25, of Lordship Road, Stoke Newington, Jack Nichols, 20, of no fixed abode, and Ceon Hewitt, 21, of High Street, Wickford, all denied the charge.

The three other defendants - Perrie Dennis, 22, of Thornbury Close, Newington Green, Osman Mohammed, 22, of Homerton Road, Hackney and Daniel Oyetoro, 26, of Charlbury Crescent, Romford - did not enter a plea and will appear for a preliminary hearing on July 5.

The trial is scheduled to begin on September 17.