Man in court over double murder
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A man appeared in court today charged with the murder of two Chinese graduates.
Xi Zhou and her boyfriend, Zhen Xing Yang, both 25, were found mutilated in their ground-floor flat in Croydon Road, Newcastle, in August.
Guang Hui Cao, 30, of Castle Place, Morpeth, Northumberland, was at Newcastle Crown Court for a 10-minute hearing.
The balding, stocky defendant, about 5ft 8in tall, with stubble and wearing a green sweatshirt, spoke through an interpreter to confirm his name and age.
Northumbria Police made an application, which was granted by the magistrate, to detain £4,565 which was seized at his home.
The money can be held by the force for three months to allow investigations to be carried out.
Guang was remanded in custody to appear before Newcastle Crown Court on November 10 for a preliminary hearing. No pleas were entered, and no application for bail was made.
The Chinese couple graduated from Newcastle University, where they met, and she worked as a waitress in a city centre noodle bar.
After his bloody death, it came to light that Mr Zhen may have been involved in an international football betting scam.