An Iranian immigrant has denied strangling a grandmother to death with a lawn mower cable and locking her body in a shed.

Rahim Mohammadi, 40, is accused of killing 80-year-old Lea Adri-Soejoko in her allotment in Colindale, north London on February 27.

Her body was found the next day inside a padlocked communal maintenance shed when police heard her mobile phone ringing.

Rahim Mohammadi, 40, right, allegedly killed 80 year-old 'pillar of the community' Lea Adri-Soejoko, left, by 'strangling her with the cord of her own anorak'

Ms Adri-Soejoko was secretary of the Colindale Allotment Garden Association and was reported missing after she failed to appear for a meeting the previous evening.

A post-mortem found the cause of her death was ligature of the neck from the cable of a lawnmower stored in the shed and the cord of her own anorak.

Mohammadi, who moved to Britain ten years ago and had his own plot at the allotments, was charged with murder on 5 March.

He today appeared at the Old Bailey via video link from high-security Belmarsh prison.

Wearing a prison issue grey tracksuit and glasses and with short brown hair, he sat slumped in a chair as he followed proceedings, occasionally crossing his arms.

The bearded defendant was helped during the hearing by a Farsi interpreter, who sat in the courtroom.

Ms Adri-Soejoko, pictured, was found dead by police in a shed after her mobile phone was heard ringing

Mohammadi, pictured, appeared in court today with the help of a Farsi interpreter. He will stand trial in July

Mohammadi spoke only to confirm his name and to plead not guilty to the murder charge, shaking his head as he did so.

A trial date was fixed for July 10, which is expected to last between two to three weeks.

Judge Stephen Kramer QC remanded Mohammadi, of Hackney, east London, in custody.

Earlier prosecutor Charlotte Newell said: 'Ms Adri-Soejoko was found in a locked shed on an allotment where she spent a good deal of her time.

'Ms Adri-Soejoko was 80-years-old, she was reported missing by her daughter but had last been seen by her granddaughter on 26 February at about 6pm.

'But the last proof of life was at 14.34 on 27 February when Ms Adri-Soejoko's friend had spoken to her on the telephone.

'When he called again at 6pm that evening there was no reply.'