Old Bailey hearing put off

A hearing at the Old Bailey, London, in the case of Peter Wallner, the man accused of killing his wife and dumping her in a wheelie bin in Surrey, was put off to September after Woking magistrates in Surrey mistakenly gave him a court appearance date that was not available, according to the British media.

The 33-year-old German national married to Maltese Lilia Fenech, has been charged with the murder of his wife Melanie after her badly decomposed remains were discovered inside a bin in Surrey on June 8, soon after the couple had moved to Malta.

The British police had launched a manhunt for Mr Wallner and Mrs Fenech, 23, after the victim's remains were found outside their former residence in Hamilton Avenue, Cobham on June 9. The body was identified as Mrs Wallner's.

Mr Wallner had voluntarily returned to the UK from Malta when he heard that the Surrey police were looking for him. He was arrested on landing at Gatwick Airport.

Last week, the police also arrested and questioned Mrs Fenech who also flew back voluntarily. She was released on bail but was not allowed to travel out of the country.

Ms Fenech and her father, Martin, have denied she or Mr Wallner were involved in the murder.

Mr Wallner and Ms Fenech had left Cobham and drove across the English Channel to Malta. The Surrey police had appealed for information about the couple and their van, which was eventually tracked down in San Ġwann.