Notting Hill stabbing: Neighbour remanded in custody over Bella Nicandro killing

Bella Nicandro, who was stabbed to death in Notting Hill (Metropolitan Police/PA)
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A neighbour accused of killing a pensioner who was stabbed to death in her Notting Hill home has been remanded into custody at the Old Bailey.

Aaron Cook, 23, is charged with the murder of 76-year-old Bella Nicandro after she was fatally wounded at her apartment in St Luke’s Road on Saturday afternoon.

Ms Nicandro was still alive when she initially found, the court heard, but had been stabbed repeatedly and eventually succumbed to her injuries.

“Mr Cook is charged with the murder of Bella Nicandro, who was aged 76”, said prosecutor Julian Evans.

“She died after suffering stab wounds inside her flat in St Luke’s Road, W11, on the afternoon of August 14 this year.”

Cook, who also lived on the same street, is accused of racially abusing a police officer later in the afternoon, as he was being treated in hospital for his own injuries.

“Mr Cook is also charged with public order offences in relation to his behaviour at hospital on that afternoon”, said Mr Evans.

Summarising the police investigation, Judge Nigel Lickley QC said Mrs Nicandro “was initially alive but succumbed to her injuries”.

Cook appeared at the Old Bailey via videolink from HMP Wormwood Scrubs on Wednesday morning for a preliminary hearing, speaking to confirm his name and date of birth.

As the hearing finished, he could be heard asking: “How far away is the next hearing? How long will I be waiting?”

He was remanded in custody until a plea hearing on November 3, and was warned a trial would not be heard until “late 2022 at the earliest”.

“This court is now booking cases for August and September 2022”, said the judge.

“If it stays here (at the Old Bailey), I imagine the trial date will be well into next year. That is because the court is not working at full capacity because of the pandemic, and not all courts can be used for trials because of social distancing.

“As a consequence, the backlog of class-one homicide cases has gone up.

“Hopefully as we move through 2021, the court will come back on stream and we will begin the catch up.

“It is requiring of some understanding and tolerance by families of victims, friends, and witnesses. It is difficult to progress cases at the current time as we would wish.”

Speaking after Mrs Nicandro’s death, Detective Chief Superintendent Owain Richards said: “I know the death of Bella Nicandro will have caused a great deal of shock and distress for the local community in Notting Hill.

“Officers will be carrying out increased patrols during the next few days to provide a reassuring presence.”

Cook, of St Luke’s Road, Notting Hill, did not enter pleas today to charges of murder, using threatening or abusive behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm, or distress, and racially aggravated harassment against a police officer.

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