A mechanic today denied the double murder in Canterbury of Simon Gorecki and Natasha Sadler Ellis when he appeared at Maidstone Crown Court.

Foster Christian also denied wounding with intent Ms Sadler Ellis’s 20-year-old son Connaugh Harris and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Two women, Naomi Toro, 36, and Samantha Groombridge, 19, admitted assisting an offender by taking a knife from the scene and “impeding the prosecution of a person who committed murder”.

Mother-of-three Toro, of Keyworth Mews on the Brymore Estate, was remanded in custody at her own request and eight months pregnant Groombridge was bailed to an address in Downs Road and a condition of non-contact with witnesses.

It was stated at a previous hearing that Toro had been living at her mother’s home in Blackberry Way, Whitstable.

Christian, 54, who lived in the same house as Mr Gorecki in Dickens Avenue, grinned as he entered the dock with three prison officers.

Toro and Groombridge will be sentenced after Christian’s trial, which starts on October 4 and is expected to last two weeks.

He is alleged to have killed Mr Gorecki, 47, and Ms Sadler Ellis, 40, at the house in Dickens Avenue on the Poets Estate on March 29.

Ms Sadler grew up in Margate and attended Drapers Mills Primary School before moving to Hartsdown.

Annabel Timan, for Foster, said an application was to be made to have the trial moved out of Kent, but Judge Jeremy Carey replied that a High Court judge had decided it should remain at Maidstone.

Miss Timan said a further application would be made.

Judge Jeremy Carey said as it was a double murder case it would be tried by a High Court judge.

“It will be in this court unless the judge decides it is not possible to be here,” he said.

He added: “This is not only a grave crime, it is what is colloquially described as a double murder allegation, together with other grave allegations of a less serious kind. It is essential it is tried by a High Court judge.”

Christian, who wore a grey sweatshirt, was remanded back to high security Belmarsh Prison in Thamesmead, south east London.

A pretrial review will be held on a date to be decided.

The friends and family of Mr Gorecki will gather for his funeral at Barham Crematorium on Wednesday at 3.20pm. There is no dress code.

The wake will be held at the Jackdaw Inn, Denton.

Floral tributes should be be sent to TDM Funerals, Fieldings, Stoneheap Road, East Studdal, Dover, CT15 5BU.

Charitable donations can be made to the National Autistic Society or Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury.

Miss Sadler's funeral took place last month.