Not guilty plea over Moira murder

Moira Jones was originally from Staffordshire

The man accused of raping and murdering Moira Jones in Glasgow is to stand trial in March next year.

Mareck Harcar, 33, pleaded not guilty to charges during a preliminary hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.

He is due to attend court again in January. The trial, which is expected to last up to four weeks, has been scheduled to go ahead in March.

The body of Ms Jones, 40, was found in Queens Park in the city's southside in May this year.

Mr Harcar is alleged to have abducted the businesswoman and forced her to enter the park on 28 or 29 May.

It is claimed that he forced her across the park against her will before he repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on her head and body.

Harcar is then alleged to have repeatedly struck her body on the ground, forcibly removed her clothes, compressed her neck, pinned her to the ground and raped her.

He is said to have murdered Miss Jones and robbed her of two rings and three bags, which included a camera, laptop and three mobile phones.

Mr Harcar is also charged with committing a breach of the peace by threatening to kill Lucie Pechtlova at a room in the city's Queen's Drive on 29 May.

He is then accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by fleeing to the Czech Republic and Slovakia between 1 and 18 June.