A MAN has appeared at the Old Bailey accused of killing a Rossendale man and then dumping his body in a wheelie bin.

Bernard Beddoe, 60, pleaded not guilty at court yesterday to killing Shaun Corey, 42.

Mr Corey, who was born and raised in Bacup, was found wrapped in a tarpaulin at a house in Stanstead Road, Forest Hill, London, on June 15 last year. Police believe he could have been killed more than 10 days earlier.

A postmortem examination failed to establish a formal cause of death. His family still lives in Bacup, Rawtenstall, Whitworth and Rochdale. Beddoe, of Revelon Road, Brockley, London, was originally accused of assisting Karen Otmani, also 42, Mr Corey’s ex-girlfriend, but was charged with murder after new evidence came to light.

He appeared for a brief hearing at the Old Bailey, during which he spoke only to confirm his name and to enter a formal not guilty plea.

Otmani, of Stanstead Road, Forest Hill, London, who has already denied an identical charge, watched proceedings via videolink from Holloway prison in north London.

The two are due to stand trial on October 22. The case is expected to take up to four weeks.