A man hid the bodies of his two female victims in a freezer at his home for almost three years, a court heard today.

Zahid Younis, 35, was arrested after the two bodies were found fused together in a chest freezer in Vandome Close, Canning Town, east London, in April last year.

He was charged with murdering 38-year-old mother-of-three Mihrican Mustafa and Henriett Szucs, 34.

Post-mortem examinations showed they both suffered multiple injuries.

Mihrican Mustafa, 38, also known as Mary Jane, was identified as one of the women whose bodies were found

In October a spokesman for Scotland Yard said Ms Szucs - a Hungarian national - had been in the UK for several years but was of no fixed address and had been last heard from in Summer 2016.

A missing persons investigation was launched last year into the disappearance of Ms Mustafa, also known as Mary Jane and MJ, originally from Cyprus, after she went missing in May 2018.

Younis appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court today over video link from HMP Belmarsh with a greying beard, hairband, necklace and grey jumper.

Henriett Szucs, 34, (pictured) whose body was found in a freezer in Vandome Close, Canning Town, east London

Forensics officers leaving the flat in Canning Town, east London, while investigating

The charges state Ms Szucs was murdered between 26 August 2016 and 11 November 2016 while Ms Mustafa was killed between 08 May 2018 and 30 June 2018.

Younis, of Vandome Close, is charged with two counts of murder and two of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body.

He was remanded in custody at HMP Belmarsh and will next appear at the Old Bailey on February 18.