FIVE men have been charged with murder and remanded in custody after appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Saturday, August 29, 

A man aged in his 20s died in hospital having been stabbed in woodland near Sporhams, Basildon, on Wednesday, August 26.

Hussain Ahmed, 23, of Bacon Street, London, Gary Goodwin, 36, of Princes Close, Laindon, Mohammed Ahmed, 23, of Jamaica Street, London, Abdul Salah, 20, of York Avenue, Middlesex and Jake Rowlands, 25 of no fixed address, were all charged with murder.

They will now appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday, September 2 in connection with the Basildon murder.

A 16-year-old boy from Laindon has been charged with assisting an offender and released on bail to appear at Basildon Youth Court on Tuesday, September 22.