Woman accused of killing Oxford man facing charges for 'decapitating and dissecting' cat

The body of Jorge Javier Martin Carreno was recovered from the River Cherwell near Parson's Pleasure Bathing Place on 26 July 2021. Credit: ITV Meridian

A woman accused of murdering a man whose body was found in a river in Oxfordshire two years ago, has appeared in court, also accused of decapitating and dissecting a cat.Scarlet Blake, aged 25, of Crotch Crescent in Oxford, previously known as Alice Wang appeared in the dock at Oxford Magistrates' Court on Monday morning (14 August) dressed in a grey tracksuit after being charged with murder, causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, criminal damage and theft.Blake, who stood between two dock officers, spoke only to confirm her name and age.The charges relates to the death of 30-year-old Jorge Javier Martin Carreno from Oxford who died in July 2021.The warehouse worker was found dead in the River Cherwell near Parson's Pleasure bathing spot.Mr Carreno had been on a night out in the centre of Oxford on Saturday 24 into Sunday 25 July 2021.

An inquest into Jorge Javier Martin Carreno's death was held in July 2022, and the Coroner returned a narrative verdict. Credit: Google Maps

Blake also been charged with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal, criminal damage and theft relating to a cat that had been decapitated and dissected.Prosecutor Elona Panxha outlined the facts of the case saying that Blake was charged two years after his death following a fresh witness coming forward in April this year.She said: "The animal was taken from the owner and decapitated, dissected and I have a description of what happened but the other damages relates to that animal."She then argued that all four charges should be heard together at the Crown Court as the same witness is the thread tying the crimes together.However, Blake's defence lawyer Eiran Riley said the matters should be separated adding: "The charges in relation to the cat are obviously an emotional matter. The prosecution seek to try and use that to cause damage to my clients [reputation] and to the other matter."The bench of three magistrates' retired to make a decision before agreeing that the four charges should not be grouped together. However, the three of them decided that the matters would be better off heard at Crown Court.Blake will now appear at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday. An application for bail will be heard and dates on when she will expected to enter pleas will be arranges.

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