Eileen Cotter: Man, 80, on trial over woman's 1974 unsolved death

An 80-year-old man has gone on trial accused of murdering a woman whose death 49 years ago remains unsolved.

John Apelgren denies strangling Eileen Cotter, 22, after having sex with her on 1 June 1974.

Prosecutors at the Old Bailey allege he attacked her and pushed her out of his car in Highbury, north London.

The unsolved case was reopened following advances in DNA profiling, the jury was told.

Opening the prosecution case, Alexandra Healy KC said that DNA samples taken on Ms Cotter’s body matched those of Mr Apelgren, of Bryden Close in Sydenham, south-east London.

She told the court that Ms Cotter, a sex worker, was found by a neighbour in front of some garages in Hamilton Park.

The young woman was discovered with a black eye and bruising on the face and neck, and police declared her dead at the scene, the court heard.

“Eileen Cotter did not have the defendant’s DNA on her underwear and tights because she never pulled them up after he had sex with her. She never pulled them up apparently because she was dead,” Ms Healy KC said.

The DNA was found on two places on Ms Cotter’s body, Ms Healy said.

The prosecution also alleges that Mr Apelgren had previously indecently assaulted an 18-year-old guest at his wedding on 14 October 1972.

Ms Healy KC told jurors that Mr Apelgren had pushed the 18-year-old woman against a wall after she left the toilets and indecently assaulted her.

The teenager told Mr Apelgren’s wife, Ann Smythe, about the assault after the pair later divorced, the court was told.

“The allegation came to the attention of the police when Ann was spoken to as part of the investigation into Eileen Cotter’s death,” Ms Healy KC told the court.

The defendant denies murder and indecent assault and the trial continues.

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