Polish man appears in court charged with fatal stabbing of Magherafelt woman Sophie Watson

Sara O'Kane

Reporter, UTV

A Polish man accused of the murder of a woman who was found dead in her Magherafelt home on Sunday, has denied the charge.

It is understood 57-year-old Sophie Watson lived alone in her Ashgrove Park flat and had been stabbed multiple times.

Police responded to a report and discovered Sophie Watson unresponsive. She died at the scene.

On Wednesday Andrzej Pajaczkowski with an address at Ashgrove Park appeared via video link from Musgrave serious crime suite charged with her murder.

The court was told Pajaczkowski had lived in Northern Ireland for more than 20 years.

The defendant with the help of a translator replied "yes I do" when asked if he understood the charge against him.

A detective constable said she could connect the 43-year-old to the charge.

No application for bail was made.

Pajaczkowski's lawyer told the Judge this is a complicated and complex case.

Police enquires in the area are continuing and when the charge of murder was put to his client he replied "not guilty".

Pajaczkowski was remanded in custody to reappear in court in Londonderry via video on the 18th of September.

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