Accused wife killer in court

A jealous husband accused of strangling his estranged wife to death after a day out at the zoo has appeared in court

Martin Cavanagh, 35, throttled 31-year-old Sophie Cavanagh at her Bromley flat on 20 May this year, it is alleged.

Sophie was filing to divorce Martin, who had become ‘controlling and jealous’ of his wife’s new partners, prosecutors say.

The couple had visited a nearby zoo on 19 May and returned to Sophie’s house, and the next day her dead body was discovered in the bedroom of her home.

A pathologist’s report indicated that the cause of death was strangling.

Cavanagh handed himself in to the police on 20 May and appeared at the Old Bailey today via video link today (weds).

He was remanded in custody ahead of a plea hearing on 15 August and his trial was fixed for 19 November.

The Common Serjeant of London, Judge Richard Marks QC said: ‘I will set those dates and the defendant to be remanded in custody.

‘The next hearing, Mr Cavanagh, will be on 15 August, again by video link.’

Cavanagh, of (Flat 1) Dryden House, Chatterton, Bromley, south London, is charged with murder.
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