A FORMER Blackburn man has been charged with the murder of seven-year-old Ryan Mason.
Ronald Mariner, 22, was due to appear before Bolton Magistrates today.
Ryan's body was discovered in a bin bag, dumped on a golf course in Bolton on Wednesday.
A post-mortem examination showed he died from multiple injuries.
Mariner, formerly of the Shadsworth area and who now lives in Bolton, was initially arrested on suspicion of attempted abduction.
Greater Manchester Police said officers are continuing to question a 39-year-old Bolton man for attempting to pervert the course of justice over the youngster's death.
Ryan was last seen in the early hours of Monday when he got up to play computer games although his mother did not report him missing until Wednesday believing Ryan to be with members of his extended family.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article