Man in court over murders
A 22-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of two women at a Shrewsbury massage parlour. Garry Allan Harding, of Welshpool, appeared before a special hearing at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court on Saturday charged with the double murder at 13 Frankwell.
Detectives charged Harding on Friday after being granted extra time to question him following his arrest on Tuesday.
Harding, of Gilmore Court, Severn Street, was flanked by security officers in the dock. He was charged that between June 30 and July 3 he murdered Ann Eels and Samantha Tapper.
Members of the women's families were in court for the brief hearing, police said.
Magistrates remanded Harding into custody to appear before Shrewsbury Crown Court on September 4 at 9.30am.
Harding, wearing a black and white polo shirt, did not say anything during the five minute hearing. His solicitor, Amy Walton, made no application for bail.
Harding was arrested after detectives released CCTV images of two men they wanted to question in connection with the murders. A second man was released without charge.
Detective Chief Inspector Sheila Thornes, who is leading the investigation known as Operation Barley, held a press conference on Monday afternoon to release images of a male suspect.
Police said a man had been arrested by Dyfed Powys Police as a result of the media coverage.
Grandmother Ann Eels and mother-of-one Samantha Tapper were found with severe head injuries early on the morning on July 2 at Rachel's Health Studio.
Mrs Eels, 54, and Miss Tapper, 24, were discovered next to each other in a downstairs room of the property, where police said they had both been killed the previous day - the day England played Portugal in the World Cup.
A small CCTV camera monitor along and £300 was stolen from the premises on the same day.
