Head-in-bag accused will go to trial
A man will go to trial to fight allegations he murdered Stephen Ramon Cookson, whose head was found in a bag at Rottnest Island last summer.
Aaron Carlino, 29, today formally entered a plea of not guilty to the alleged murder of Mr Cookson, 56, at the dead man's rented East Perth apartment on December 15 last year.
An 11-year-old girl found Mr Cookson's head in a bag on a beach at Porpoise Bay, on the south-east of Rottnest Island on January 6. Police have not found the rest of Mr Cookson's remains.
A lawyer had previously said Mr Carlino intended to fight the allegation.
Today, the Stirling Garden's Magistrate's Court was told it was too early to know how long the trial would need to run.
Mr Carlino was remanded in custody and will next appear in the Supreme Court on January 20.
Yovan Gonzalez, 33, also appeared in the Stirling Garden's Magistrate's Court today and pleaded not guilty to interfering with Mr Cookson's body with intent to prevent or prejudice an investigation into circumstances surrounding the death.
Police have alleged Mr Gonzalez was involved in disposing of Mr Cookson's body in some way after his death late last year.
Mr Gonzalez was also remanded in custody to reappear on January 20.
