A man has appeared at the Old Bailey accused of murdering the pensioner.
A man who died after being stabbed 20 times in his own home in North London has been named. Paul Ratledge, 82, died after being attacked at a house in Camden, north London, on March 4.
Billy O’Reilly, 53 has today (10 March) appeared at the Old Bailey accused of murdering the pensioner. Police were called to the property in West End Lane 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 20 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.
On Tuesday, he appeared at the Old Bailey by videolink from Wandsworth prison 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, north London, spoke only to confirm his identity and was remanded into custody.
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