Man in court accused of murdering French film-maker

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a French film-maker who was found buried in a shallow grave in her garden in west London.

Kirill Belorusov, 32, was brought before magistrates on Thursday over the death of 34-year-old Laureline Garcia-Bertaux earlier this month.

At Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court, Jagpreet Tucker, chair of the bench, forwarded the case to the Old Bailey.

Estonian national Belorusov was detained in Tallinn, the capital of his home country, last week after a European arrest warrant was issued.

Scotland Yard said he was escorted back to the UK by officers from the force’s extradition unit and taken into custody at a west London police station on Wednesday.

Belorusov, who appeared in court dressed in a blue jumper, spoke only to confirm his details and to tell the court he was born in Russia but holds Estonian citizenship.

It is alleged Ms Garcia-Bertaux was killed in Darell Road, Kew, between March 2 and March 6.

Her body was found after she was reported missing when she failed to turn up for work.

Catherine Hirst, Belorusov’s lawyer, did not make any representations to the court on his behalf.

Belorusov will appear at the Old Bailey on March 25.