Oxted: Boy Charged With Murder

A 16-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of an A-level student who was stabbed to death.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of killing 17-year-old Elizabeth Thomas.

Elizabeth, who grew up in West Wickham, south-east London, died from a stab wound at a property in Amy Road, Oxted, Surrey, last Friday.

The accused was initially sectioned under the Mental Health Act but following assessment was charged with murder.

He is due at Guildford Crown Court on Monday after appearing before East Surrey magistrates on Friday.

Earlier this week, Elizabeth's family spoke of their devastation, saying "Elizabeth was a kind, caring, loving and gentle girl and her death has left our lives broken beyond repair. We have lost our Sunday child.

"Throughout her GCSEs, Elizabeth studied hard and did very well. She was now working towards her A-levels and we were all extremely proud of what she had achieved.

"Following Elizabeth's death we have been truly overwhelmed by the messages and support we have received from everyone who knew her."

They paid particular tribute to Elizabeth and her younger sister's friends, saying they had shown "a great sense of maturity and respect".

Elizabeth was a student at Oxted School, a mixed comprehensive with more than 2,000 pupils, one of the largest secondary schools in the country.

Students were told about her death this week and counselling was made available to them, according to executive head Rhona Barnfield.

Ms Barnfield said the school community was "deeply saddened and upset" by the death.