Spalding man accused of murdering Colette Law (26) appears at Lincoln Crown Court

A man charged with the murder of a woman found dead in the grounds of a Spalding church has this morning appeared before Lincoln Crown Court.

Paul Neilson (30) of Priory Road, Spalding, is charged with the murder of 26-year-old Colette Law on Monday 10 July.

The body of Colette, from Greenock in Scotland, was found in a tent on Monday July 17 in the grounds of St Mary and St Nicholas Church.

Neilson was charged with murder by Lincolnshire Police on July 23.

Wearing a blue top and grey jogging bottoms, Neilson this morning appeared in a glass panelled dock at Lincoln Crown Court for a preliminary hearing. He spoke only to confirm his name.

Neilson, who was represented by Chris Jeyes, entered no plea and there was no bail application.

Judge Peter Kelson KC adjourned the case for a plea and trial preparation hearing at Lincoln Crown Court on August 29.

A provisional trial date was listed for January 22 at Lincoln Crown Court and Neilson was remanded back into custody.

The Judge told Neilson: "The next hearing will be August 29. That will be the plea and trial preparation hearing. The trial will be January 22. You will remain in custody."

Following the discovery of Colette's body a Lincolnshire Police spokesperson said it was liaising with Police Scotland.

The force said it is asking anyone who was in Spalding town centre throughout the day and into the evening on Monday, July 10, who may have witnessed an altercation between a man and a woman, to come forward.

Detective Inspector Adrian Czajkowski, senior investigating officer, said: "We believe there may be people who were in the town who have witnessed something which might help our ongoing investigation, who we have not yet spoken with.

"It might be that you don’t realise that what you saw or heard is important; we’d ask that you think back, or view mobile phone or dashcam footage, and get in touch with anything that might be relevant and allow us to decide.

"Any piece of information can prove crucial in an investigation, and we’d rather have as much information as possible."

If you have any information or footage, you can submit it through a dedicated Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP) through this link here.

You can also call 0800 555111 to leave information with Crimestoppers anonymously.