THE parents of murdered pregnant teenager Nikitta Grender faced her alleged killer in court yesterday.

Paul and Marcia Grender sat with their 19-year-old daughter’s boyfriend Ryan Mayes, 17, in a packed public gallery at Cardiff Crown Court.

The accused, Carl Whant, 26, wore a navy and white striped jumper for the hearing where the date for a plea and case management hearing was set for May 13.

Whant, of no fixed abode, who is Ryan Mayes’ cousin, is charged with murdering eight-and-a-half months pregnant Miss Grender on February 5.

He also faces a charge of child destruction for allegedly killing her unborn baby daughter who she had already planned to name Kelsey-May.

Whant’s counsel, Patrick Harrington QC, made no application for bail and he was remanded in custody until the next hearing.

Shouts and swear words could be heard from the public gallery as he was led away.

Miss Grender was found stabbed to death at her Broadmead Park home, Lliswerry, in the early hours of Saturday February 5, after firefighters were called to a blaze at her flat.

Whant was arrested on suspicion of her murder on Wednesday and was charged on the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service on Saturday night.