A 55-year-old man has denied murdering a woman who was found dead in a Southwark street after falling from a window.
Mohamed Sheriff, 55, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Kerry Ann Goodbrand, 31, at the Old Bailey on Thursday.
Ms Goodbrand was found dead in Rowcross Street on Friday 21 August, shortly before 3pm.
The incident was allegedly linked to Mr Sheriff’s address by blood found beside a window and one of the victim’s shoes on the windowsill.
Mr Sheriff has been remanded in custody ahead of a three-week trial, which is scheduled to begin on 24 May next year. A further case management hearing is set for 5 February. The case was heard by Judge Mark Dennis KC.
Key facts
- Defendant: Mohamed Sheriff, 55
- Charge: Murder of Kerry Ann Goodbrand, 31
- Plea: Not guilty, entered at the Old Bailey on Thursday 12 November
- Victim found: Rowcross Street, Southwark, Friday 21 August, shortly before 3pm
- Next steps: Case management hearing on 5 February; three-week trial from 24 May next year
- Status: Remanded in custody
What happens now
With a not guilty plea entered, the case will go to trial, and the prosecution will have to prove the murder charge against Mr Sheriff. Nothing has been decided about his guilt — a plea of not guilty is the defendant’s formal answer to the charge, not a finding by the court.
He will stay in custody until the trial. A case management hearing, set for 5 February, is the stage at which the court deals with the practical preparations for trial — the timetable, the evidence to be used, and any legal issues that need settling in advance. The trial itself is expected to last three weeks.
The case so far
The case began in August, when Ms Goodbrand was found dead in Rowcross Street in Southwark. Mr Sheriff was later charged with her murder.
He appeared at the Old Bailey on Thursday, where he denied the charge. He will return to court for the case management hearing in February, before the trial opens in May next year.
Southwark context
Southwark recorded the highest number of reported crimes of any south-east London borough in October, with 3,730 offences reported to the Metropolitan Police — more than any of its neighbouring boroughs. Reported crime across south-east London rose by 2.2% over the month.
The Old Bailey, where Mr Sheriff entered his plea, is the Central Criminal Court, which hears the most serious criminal cases in London. Another murder trial is currently under way there, over the death of a man in Lewisham last year.
