man denies murdering colleague and dumping her body in new forest

Yajaira Castro Mendez was first reported missing and her body was discovered more than a week later in the New Forest (Picture: PA)

A man has denied murdering his colleague in central London before wheeling her out in a bin and dumping her body in the New Forest.

Juan Francisco Toledo is accused of killing his colleague Yajaira Castro Mendez,46,at an office block on Grays Inn Road that they were cleaning.

Yajaira was reported missing to the Metropolitan Police on May 31,having left her home in Ilford,east London,on the morning of May 29.

Her body was later discovered in the Bolderwood area of Hampshire,some 80 miles from where she was supposedly killed.

Caroline Carberry KC,prosecuting,previously told the court: ‘The defendant was Yajaira’s work colleague.

‘They were both cleaning staff at an office building on Grays Inn Road.’

She told the court the victim arrived for work at 5pm and was killed inside the office block. Her body was removed a little more than three hours later,at 8.30pm.

Mendez,a Colombian national,who lived in Ilford,was reported missing to the Metropolitan Police on May 31.

Ms Mendez’s former flatmate raised the alarm after she failed to move into new accommodation,the court was told.

Following a police search,Ms Mendez’s body was found in the rural Bolderwood area of Hampshire on June 7.

Appearing at the court,Toledo,a Venezuelan national of Crystal Palace,in south London,pleaded not guilty to murder and to perverting the course of justice by concealing and disposing of her body on or before 7 June.

Using a Spanish translator,the defendant spoke only to confirm his name,date of birth,and to plead not guilty.

His trial is due to begin on April 20 next year.

To get the latest news from the capital visit Metro's London news hub.