A Hungarian national charged with the murder of a woman whose body was found in a suitcase has been refused bail.

Laszlo Gyarmati, 29, of Station Road, Finchley, initially made no application for bail before changing his mind at the Old Bailey yesterday.

The application was refused and he will be remanded in custody until he appears at the court again on October 14.

He has been charged with the murder of fellow Hungarian national Alexandra Kovacs from the NW7 area.

The 25-year-old’s body was discovered in a suitcase in woods alongside Dollis Brook in Thornfield Avenue, Mill Hill, on Sunday, July 21.

An inquest was opened and adjourned at HM Coroners’ Court in Barnet today.