Woman accused of murdering her London landlord and killing his cat

A woman accused of murdering her pensioner landlord and stabbing to death his cat has been remanded in custody.

Habiba Naveed, 34, is accused of a “violent and sustained” attack on 72-year-old Christopher Brown at the home they shared in Polsted Road, Catford, last week.

She is also accused of killing the cat, called Snow, who lived with them, by stabbing the animal in the neck.

The cat is understood to have been named Snow due to its white fur.

At the Old Bailey on Tuesday, Naveed was due to appear in court to face charges of murder and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

But she was absent from the hearing due to ill health, as Judge Judy Khan ruled she should be remanded in custody.

Prosecutor Kerry Broome told the hearing: “The defendant is accused of murdering her landlord/friend.

“There was also the house cat found deceased at the property as well.

“The offence appears to be violent and sustained.”

Metropolitan Police Mr Brown was found dead at home in the early hours of August 15, and a post mortem concluded he died from “blunt force trauma”.

Naveed, who was one of Mr Brown’s lodgers, was arrested the same day and was charged at the weekend.

It is alleged she murdered Mr Brown between August 14 and 15, and it is said she stabbed the cat in the neck.

Judge Khan set a plea hearing for November 5, which Naveed is expected to attend.

No provisional date for a trial was fixed.

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