Two men in court over French student murders

Two men appeared in court today to deny the horrific murders of two French research students who were stabbed repeatedly in their flat.

Dano Sonnex, 23, and Nigel Farmer, 33, appeared separately via videolink at the Old Bailey and were remanded in custody to face trial on 21 April.

Their alleged victims Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, were found at their blood-spattered home in New Cross, south east London, in June.

Sonnex, of Peckham Park Road, Peckham, south London, and Farmer, of no fixed address, are alleged to have held them at the address in Stirling Gardens before killing them and torching the property.

They are also jointly accused of stealing a bank card, credit card, two Sony PSP games consoles and two mobile phones.

Shaven-headed Sonnex, wearing an open lilac shirt over a blue T-shirt, appeared first, followed by Farmer, wearing a blue shirt.

Each denied charges of murder, false imprisonment, burglary and arson, being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

Mr Ferez's father Olivier was in court for the brief hearings before Mr Justice Penry-Davey today.

Both victims were in the second year of Masters degrees at the Clermont-Ferrand Polytech in the Auvergne region of central France.

They were nearing the end of a three-month research placement studying DNA at Imperial College London when they were killed.