Freda Walker: Man denies murder of 86-year-old woman

Freda Walker died at the scene while Ken Walker was critically injured

A man has denied the murder of an 86-year-old woman and the attempted murder of her 88-year-old husband.

Freda Walker was found dead at her home in Station Road, Langwith Junction, Derbyshire, on 15 January and her husband Ken was discovered critically injured and taken to hospital.

Vasile Culea, 33, of Grove Road, Church Warsop, Nottinghamshire, denied both charges at Derby Crown Court on Friday.

Judge Nirmal Shant QC said his trial would take place on 4 October.

Addressing Mr Culea, who followed proceedings through a Romanian interpreter, the judge added: "But before that, you will be at this court on 8 July for all matters before your trial to be finalised.

"In the meantime, you are remanded in custody."

The court was told the trial was expected to last two weeks.

The couple were found at their home by a neighbour

A concerned neighbour found Mr Walker, a former district councillor, and Mrs Walker at their home at 09:00 GMT.

In February, the opening of an inquest at Chesterfield Coroner's Court found the provisional cause of Mrs Walker's death was head injuries and airway obstruction "pending further tests".

Assistant coroner for Derby and Derbyshire, Susan Evans, told the inquest Mrs Walker was born in Warsop, Nottinghamshire, and was a retired machinist.

The coronial investigation was suspended until the conclusion of the trial.