A trial date has been set for the man accused of murdering a 14-year-old girl in Tasmania, with proceedings scheduled for April next year. The timing means the case is set to go before a court almost four years after the teenager’s death.

Christopher Mark Jordan, a Scottsdale man, has been charged over the girl’s killing. According to the case details released so far, he has pleaded not guilty to the murder allegation.

The listing of the trial is a major development in a case that has drawn attention in Tasmania since the girl went missing. The long gap between the alleged crime and the start of the trial highlights the slow and often complex path serious criminal matters can take through the legal system.

With the trial now scheduled, the next phase of the case will focus on the court process as prosecutors and the defence prepare to present their arguments. Further details are expected to emerge as the matter moves closer to its hearing date.