TWO teenagers are set to stand trial tomorrow accused of the manslaughter of a man who was found dead in a burnt-out car.

Keani Hobbs, 18, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday alongside a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, charged with the manslaughter of 30-year-old Vilson Meshi some time between February 26 and 28.

Mr Meshi’s body was discovered in the back of a fire-damaged Audi A4 in Pincey Mead, Pitsea, on February 27 last year.

The pair were further charged with stealing marine flares from Charles Armstrong between January 1, 2016, and February 27, 2016.

A jury was sworn in today but Judge Patricia Lynch QC held off from starting the trial until tomorrow under an unusual step to help the 16-year-old boy.

She told the jury that special measures were being taken to help him understand what was happening each step of the way.

She said that an intermediary will be used owing to the "vulnerable nature" of the boy.

She said: "We do this with vulnerable defendants so that they can participate in their trial, so that they can have a fair trial at a pace that they understand.

"We are sitting in vulnerable hours, so we will start at 11am and finish at 3pm every day.

"We also have vulnerable witnesses as well as vulnerable defendants."

Mr Meshi’s body was discovered after a neighbour raised concerns over the vehicle as it had not moved and had suffered some external damage.

A post-mortem examination found he had died from smoke inhalation.

The trial is expected to last for five weeks.