A 79-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to murdering a woman almost half a century ago ago.
John Apelgren is accused of killing 22-year-old Eileen Cotter in 1974.
She was found strangled in front of a block of garages behind Hamilton Park, Highbury on the afternoon of June 1.
In June this year, Apelgren, of Bryden Close, Sydenham, was charged with her murder.
He was also charged with indecently assaulting another woman two years before Ms Cotter’s death, on October 14, 1972.
Today (Tuesday, October 4), Apelgren appeared in the dock of the Old Bailey for a plea hearing before Mr Justice Bryan.
He denied the two charges against him and when asked to confirm it was not guilty, he said: “Definitely.”
The judge went on to fix a trial of up to four weeks from June 6, 2023.
Apelgren was further remanded into custody as time limits for his detention were extended.
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 The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.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 here