Bennylyn Burke: Man denies murder of mother and her child from Kingswood

A man has denied murdering a mother and her two-year-old child from Kingswood.

Andrew Innes, 51, is charged with the deaths of Bennylyn Burke and her daughter Jellica, who both went missing from their home in South Gloucestershire on March 1 last year.

Innes is accused of putting their bodies in bags and hiding them under his kitchen floor in Dundee.

A virtual hearing took place at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday, where a trial date was set for January 30 at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Innes is also accused of sexually assaulting Jellica and another child.

The disappearance of the mother and her daughter was reported on March 1 in 2021 and led to a nationwide search being launched by Avon and Somerset Police on March 3.

The focus turned to Scotland, and on March 6 Innes was arrested following a visit to his home.

In the two weeks that followed, the bodies of Ms Burke and her daughter were discovered.

Ms Burke is believed to have moved to Bristol three years ago, first living in Staple Hill before moving to Kingswood.

Following the dicsovery of her body, a vigil was held in memory of her and her two-year-old daughter at Cabot Tower, Brandon Hill.