A trial date is expected next month in the case of the 13-year-old boy accused of killing his five-year-old neighbour by giving him a deadly brew of the weed killer gramoxone and white rum.

When the 13-year-old came to court on Friday, a March 2 mention date was set after attorney Michael Lorne confirmed that he would be representing the child. A trial date is expected at that time.

The accused, who lived with his mother at the time, allegedly gave Nathan Reynolds the mixture on January 26, 2006, while they played.

The police were told that the boys were in the yard playing when the 5-year-old told his mother that he wanted something to eat. Reynolds’ mother went to prepare a meal but came back out after not hearing the boys, to find her firstborn son on the ground, foaming at the mouth with fluid streaming from his nostril.

The boy, whose mouth was severely burnt, allegedly told his mother that the 13-year-old had given him “something to drink”.

Reynolds was taken to hospital where he died 13 days later – February 8 – from multiple organ failure due to poisoning.