Relatives appear in court charged with preventing woman's lawful burial

Three family members have appeared in court charged with preventing the lawful burial of their relative, whose remains were found on a mattress.

The body of 49-year-old Rina Yasutake was discovered at a property in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, on September 25 last year.

Appearing at York Crown Court, the dead woman's mother, Michiko Yasutake, 76, sister Yoshika Yasutake, 53, and brother Takahiro Yasutake, 47, were not required to enter any pleas during a brief hearing on Monday.

It has not been revealed how Rina Yasutake died.

Following proceedings through a Japanese interpreter, the three defendants, from Helmsley, were told a provisional date for trial had been set for June 15 2020 and that they will next appear in court on March 30.

Judge Sean Morris granted them all bail until then.