Man in court over bin bag killings

An unemployed man appeared in court yesterday charged in connection with the discovery of body parts in bin bags as police named the third victim in the case.

Anthony John Hardy appeared at Hendon magistrates' court in north London charged with murdering Sally Rose White on or before 20 January 2002, as well as Elizabeth Valad, 29, and Bridgette Cathy MacClennan, 34, on or before 30 December 2002.

Parts of the dismembered remains of Ms MacClennan, originally from New Zealand, and Ms Valad, originally from Nottingham, who both lived in London, were found in rubbish bins behind a north London pub in the early hours of 30 December. Ms White's body was found at Mr Hardy's address in January last year.

Clean-shaven and wearing dark trousers and a blue sweatshirt, the 51-year-old from Camden, north London, was taken into court with his head covered by a blanket. He spoke only to confirm his name, age and address. Giovanni Fabrizi, the chairman of the bench, remanded Mr Hardy in custody to appear at the Old Bailey next Monday.

Ms Valad was named on Saturday as one of the women whose body parts were found by a tramp foraging for food. She was identified by the serial number on her breast implants.Her head and hands are still missing.

An autopsy on Ms White at the time of her death found that she had died of a heart attack, but police said on Sunday that significant new evidence had led to the murder charge.