Man, 63, denies murders of his wife and her son and faces trial next year

Calogero Ricotta, who was assisted in court by an Italian interpreter, spoke only to confirm his identity and to enter his pleas of not guilty.

Giuseppe Morreale and his mother Maria Nugara (Essex Police/PA) (PA Media)

A man has denied the murders of his wife and her son and is due to stand trial next year.

Calogero Ricotta, 63, pleaded not guilty to the murders of Maria Nugara, 54, and her 29-year-old son Giuseppe Morreale when he appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday.

The defendant, of Cambridge Road in the village of Ugley in Essex, also pleaded not guilty to a charge of actual bodily harm in respect of another person, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Ricotta, who was assisted in court by an Italian interpreter, spoke only to confirm his identity and to enter his pleas of not guilty.

He wore a grey prison-issue tracksuit and had short, wavy brown hair.

Essex Police said the force received a call at 9.50pm on May 28 reporting that two people had been seriously injured at an address in Ugley, near Bishop’s Stortford.

Officers attended the address in Cambridge Road and found Ms Nugara – referred to in charges as Mrs Ricotta – and Mr Morreale, who were both pronounced dead at the scene.

Judge Christopher Morgan remanded Ricotta in custody until his trial, which is due to be heard at Chelmsford Crown Court from January 20 next year, with a time estimate of three weeks.

The family of the two victims said, in an earlier tribute released through police, that Ms Nugara was “loving and dedicated to her four children and grandson”.

They said that Mr Morreale, also known as Joe, “always had a cheeky smile and a loving heart”.