A man has appeared in court charged with murdering a pensioner who was stabbed 20 times in his own north London home.
Billy O’Reilly, 53, is accused of attacking 82-year-old Paul Ratledge in West End Lane, Camden on March 4.
The Metropolitan Police were called to the house at around 11.25am the next day over concerns for the welfare of Mr Ratledge.
After officers arrived, paramedics from the London Ambulance Service confirmed the pensioner had died.
He had suffered multiple stab wounds, three of which were fatal, the court was told.
A preliminary cause of death was given as sharp force trauma to the neck and heart.
O’Reilly was arrested inside the property within minutes of police arriving and charged with murder on March 7, the court was told.
On Tuesday, he appeared at the Old Bailey by videolink from HMP Wandsworth for a preliminary hearing.
Prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC said the defendant and victim were known to one another.
Judge Richard Marks KC set a plea and case management hearing for July 17 and a provisional two-week trial from January 11 next year.
O’Reilly, of Royal Free Square, Islington, spoke only to confirm his identity and was remanded into custody.
