Two in court over death of North-East oil boss Carole Waugh (From Durham Times)

Two in court over death of North-East oil boss Carole Waugh

8:00am Friday 17th August 2012 in News By Gavin Engelbrecht

TWO men were remanded in custody yesterday after making their first appearance in court charged with the murder of oil executive Carole Waugh.

Rakesh Bhayani, 40, and Nicholas Kutner, 47, who have already been charged with fraud offences linked to the disappearance of the 50-year-old, appeared via video-link at Croydon Magistrates’ Court.

Mr Kutner, in a blue T-shirt, and Mr Bhayani, wearing a red polo shirt and glasses, spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth during the brief hearing.

Miss Waugh’s body was found with a single stab wound inside a car in a garage in Lime Court, New Malden, south-west London, on August 2.

She was reported missing by her family on May 7. Police said the last confirmed sighting of her was during a family party in the small village of Haswell, in east Durham.

Her bank executive brother was the last to see her when he waved goodbye to her at Durham City railway station.

Miss Waugh had lived and worked in Libya for a number of years, but returned to London, in 2008, and regularly visited relatives in Cumbria and County Durham.

Her flat is in an affluent area of central London and her brother, Chris Waugh, previously said she was “very frugal and careful” with money.

Unemployed Mr Bhayani, of Chamberlayne Avenue, Wembley, north-west London, is already due to appear in court next month on three charges of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, worth about £280,000, following transactions associated with Miss Waugh’s identity.

Mr Kutner, of no fixed address, was originally arrested on suspicion of murder and kidnap on August 1.

He also faces two charges relating to renting Miss Waugh’s property in Tressard Court, Marylebone, central London, and one of unlawfully withdrawing funds from her bank account.

He is also facing a fraud charge after being accused of pretending to be Chris Waugh, in a bid to sell her London home.

The pair, who were appearing from Wandsworth Prison, in south London, were remanded in custody to appear for a plea and case management hearing at the Old Bailey, on November 22.