An alleged serial killer accused of drugging and murdering four men he met on gay websites has been charged with attacking eight others, it can be reported today.

Stephen Port, 41, from Barking, east London, pleaded not guilty to all the charges, which allegedly took place between 2011 and 2015, in a hearing at the Old Bailey today.

Port, was originally charged with four counts of murder and four counts of administering a poison.

He is also accused of the following charges against another eight men:

six further counts of administering a poison

seven of rape

four sexual assaults

Stephen Port

Murder charges

Port allegedly met the men on gay websites and invited them to his house, where he is said to have poisoned them with the party drug GHB and dumped their bodies in or near a churchyard in east London.

St Margaret's Church in Barking Credit: PA

The murder charges relate to these four deaths over 14 months:

June 19, 2014 - Anthony Patrick Walgate, 23, a fashion and design student who was originally from Hull but living in Barnet was found dead on Cooke Street, in Barking

August 28, 2014 - Gabriel Kovari, 22, was found by a dog walker near the churchyard of St Margaret's Church, North Street in Barking. He was originally from Slovakia but lived in Lewisham, south London

September 20, 2014 - The same dog walker finds the body of Daniel Whitworth, 21, from Gravesend, Kent, near the churchyard

September 14, 2015 - Forklift truck driver Jack Taylor, 25, from Dagenham, is found dead near the Abbey Ruins close to North Street

Port, who appeared in court via video-link from Belmarsh Prison, also faces four alternative charges of manslaughter for each of the murder counts, which he also denies.

He spoke only to confirm his name and enter pleas during the brief hearing.

He is due to stand trial on October 4, which is expected to last up to 10 weeks.

Police did not initially link the deaths, but after further investigation they were referred to the Metropolitan Police homicide and major crime command on October 14 last year.

The force has referred its handling of the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.