Father denies murdering daughter

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/sussex/8189432.stm

Version 0 of 1.

The father of a teenage mother whose skeletal remains were found in woodland has denied murdering her.

Tony Couchman, 45, of Beecham Place in St Leonards, East Sussex, pleaded not guilty to murdering Victoria Couchman, 19, between 15 May and 18 May 2008.

He also denied perverting the course of justice between 18 October last year and 17 April 2009 in connection with the murder investigation.

He was remanded in custody until 4 December at Lewes Crown Court.

A date for his trial, expected to last between five and six weeks, was fixed for 4 January next year.

Miss Couchman's skull was found by children in Redgeland Wood, in the Queensway area of St Leonards, near Hastings, in October last year.

Further human remains were later discovered around the scene.

Medical records were used to identify them as those of Ms Couchman, a single mother-of-one.