Murder trial suspended pending psychiatric report on accused

A court in Hong Kong has adjourned the trial of a British banker accused of the murders of two women, pending a psychiatric report on the suspect.

29-year-old Rurik Jutting was charged with two counts of murder last week after police found the bodies of two women in his apartment, including one inside a suitcase on a balcony.

The court granted a request from prosecutors that the hearing be adjourned until 24th November so two psychiatric reports could be prepared, Reuters have reported.

Wearing a black T-shirt with New York emblazoned across the front and sporting a beard and mustache, Jutting, when asked if he understood that he needed to get his lawyers to represent him, replied to the judge: "Yes, madam."

He has said little else in his two brief court appearances so far and has not entered a plea.

British banker Rurik Jutting was this morning driven into a Hong Kong court charged with the gruesome murder of two reported sex workers from south-east Asia.

The 29-year-old Briton was arrested after the victims were found in his apartment on Saturday.

ITV News reporter Richard Pallot has the details:

More: What we know about Hong Kong murder suspect Rurik Jutting

British national Rurik Jutting had left a chilling out-of-office email message at the bank from which he recently resigned.

The 29-year-old has been identified as a Cambridge-educated investment banker who had been employed at Bank of America Merrill Lynch until recently.

It is thought that he moved to Hong Kong from London in July last year.

The automatic response for his email account at the bank read:

The message appeared to suggest that he had meant to kill himself.

A British man has appeared in court in Hong Kong to answer charges relating to the murder of two women

Rurik Jutting, who was named in a court document, was arrested after the bodies of the women - reported to be Indonesian sex workers - were found at his apartment on Saturday.

Mr Jutting was unshaven and wearing a black T-shirt for a brief appearance at Eastern Magistrates Court.

The BBC reports that he replied "I do" when asked if he understood the charges against him.

A spokesman for Bank of America Merrill Lynch said Mr Jutting had worked at the bank until recently.

A man believed to be 29-year-old British citizen Rurik Jutting has been pictured arriving at a local court in Hong Kong to face two counts of murder.

It follows local authorities finding the bodies of two women in his apartment.

Police have not officially identified Mr Jutting, while the Foreign Office said a British national had been held but did not give further details.

Local media reports have identified one of the victims as Sumarti Ningsih, a 25-year-old Indonesian.

Local media reports have identified one of the victims of a double murder in Hong Kong as Sumarti Ningsih, 25.

The South China Morning Post reported that she travelled to Hong Kong from Indonesia on a tourist visa last month.

A British man will face Hong Kong magistrates tomorrow after being handed a holding charge in connection with a gruesome double murder.

The 29-year-old has been questioned after two women were found dead at an exclusive apartment in the Wanchai district.

As ITV News China Correspondent Lucy Watson reports, the man has been named locally as Rurik Jutting who recently quit his banking job.

Hong Kong Police have laid a "holding charge" against a 29-year-old foreign man in connection with a double murder. He is believed to be British bank employee Rurik Jutting.

A police statement said: