A man has appeared in court accused of murdering a sex worker seven months after raping another, a court has heard.
Simon Levy, of Beaufoy Road, Tottenham, north London, is charged with murdering Sheryl Wilkins, 39, who was found unresponsive in High Road, Tottenham, on August 24.
The 40-year-old is also accused of grievous bodily harm with intent, non-fatal strangulation and two counts of rape against a second woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Haringey, north London, on January 21.
The Old Bailey heard on Wednesday that both women were sex workers.
Levy was seen on CCTV meeting Ms Wilkins shortly before 1am on August 24 and walking along Tottenham High Road, prosecutor Kerry Broome said.
After a brief conversation, they walked towards a nearby car park, a known location for drug use, she said.
Police constables doing a routine check of the area found Ms Wilkins’s body at about 6.30am, Ms Broome said.
She was face down and her head was covered, as was her body, with a jacket, the court heard.
Ms Wilkins had bruising and scratching but post-mortem examinations had not yet found a cause of death, the prosecution said. They added that she may have been drowned.
Ms Broome said the alleged victim in the January incident had agreed to provide sexual services to Levy before suffering a broken clavicle and losing consciousness during the alleged sex attack, the prosecution said.
Levy was arrested for both offences on September 4.
Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court previously heard that Levy was blind in one eye, and he appeared at the Old Bailey by video-link from HMP Belmarsh wearing dark glasses and a grey prison-issue tracksuit.
He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth and appeared to stare straight ahead throughout the hearing.
The defendant is due to appear on November 26 to enter pleas.
