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Rurik Jutting remanded in custody over Hong Kong murders Rurik Jutting remanded in custody over Hong Kong murders
(about 5 hours later)
A 29-year-old British man accused of murdering two women in Hong Kong has been remanded in custody.A 29-year-old British man accused of murdering two women in Hong Kong has been remanded in custody.
Rurik Jutting was arrested after police found the victims in his apartment in the Wan Chai area early on Saturday. One of the bodies was in a suitcase on his balcony. Rurik Jutting was arrested after police found the victims in his apartment in the Wan Chai area early on Saturday. One of the women died on 27 October and her body was found in a suitcase, court papers said.
The women, who have not been officially named by police, are believed to be sex workers of Indonesian origin. The women are believed to be sex workers.
Mr Jutting appeared before the Eastern Magistrates' Court on Monday morning. Mr Jutting did not ask for bail and was remanded until 10 November.
He had resigned from a job at Bank of America Merrill Lynch a week ago. A LinkedIn profile under his name suggested he was a Cambridge University graduate. He had resigned from a job at Bank of America Merrill Lynch a week ago. A LinkedIn profile under his name suggested he was a Cambridge University graduate. Winchester College, an independent boarding school in Hampshire, confirmed he had been a student there.
Mr Jutting was unshaven and wearing a black T-shirt during the brief court hearing. Mr Jutting was unshaven and wearing a black T-shirt during the brief court hearing at Eastern Magistrates' Court.
Asked if he understood the charges against him, he replied: "I do."Asked if he understood the charges against him, he replied: "I do."
He was remanded in custody and is due to appear in court again on 10 November. Police said Mr Jutting called them to the luxury residential building where he lived at 03:42 on Saturday (19:42 Friday GMT).
Officers were called to the luxury residential building where Mr Jutting lived at 03:42 on Saturday (19:42 Friday GMT). One of the victims, named in a court document as Sumarti Ningsih, was found in a suitcase almost a week after her death, a charge sheet said. She had sustained neck injuries.
One of the victims, who was aged between 25 and 30, had wounds to her neck and buttock. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The second woman had wounds to her neck and buttock. She has not been officially named, but was known locally as Jesse.
The body of the other woman, who had sustained neck injuries, was found in the suitcase. Hong Kong Police said they had retrieved a knife from the apartment in the J Residence block, which is situated in an affluent area and is popular with professional people working in the financial sector.
Hong Kong Police said they had retrieved a knife from the apartment in the J Residence block, which is situated in an affluent area and popular with professional people working in the financial sector. Assistant district commander Wan Siu-hung told reporters Ms Ningsih had been dead "for quite some time".
Assistant district commander Wan Siu-hung told reporters that the woman whose body was in the suitcase had been dead "for quite some time".
Speaking about the other dead woman, he said: "We believe the death was caused by a sharp object which cut the throat of the deceased.Speaking about the other dead woman, he said: "We believe the death was caused by a sharp object which cut the throat of the deceased.
"When police found her she was lying in the living room - the room was messy.""When police found her she was lying in the living room - the room was messy."
The BBC's Hong Kong correspondent Juliana Liu reported that the two victims were known as Jesse and Alice. The BBC's Hong Kong correspondent Juliana Liu reported that the two victims were well known in the Wan Chai entertainment district.
Both were well known in the Wan Chai entertainment district, our correspondent said. It could now take months or even years for the case to come to conclusion, our correspondent added.
Indonesia's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Michael Tene said one of the victims was an Indonesian citizen who entered Hong Kong on a tourist visa, but that it was not yet clear if the second woman was also Indonesian.
He told the BBC: "We are now in the process of trying to reach the families in Indonesia to inform them of this very sad situation."
Bar manager Robert van den Bosch had known both women for more than four years. He said about two dozen police had visited bars and nightclubs in the area on Saturday in an effort to identify the women.
Of "Jesse", Mr van den Bosch told the BBC: "That's the thing that we ask ourselves, why and why her?
"If she was just a crazy woman and fighting you could understand, but I have no idea why, because she was always happy."
The South China Morning Post reported that police had found a small amount of cocaine in the apartment and that they were examining Mr Jutting's mobile phone.The South China Morning Post reported that police had found a small amount of cocaine in the apartment and that they were examining Mr Jutting's mobile phone.
A resident of the 40-storey block, who said his fellow occupants were mainly expats, told the newspaper: "It was a shock because you would never expect something like this to happen in Hong Kong."A resident of the 40-storey block, who said his fellow occupants were mainly expats, told the newspaper: "It was a shock because you would never expect something like this to happen in Hong Kong."
At the scene: Juliana Liu, BBC Hong Kong correspondentAt the scene: Juliana Liu, BBC Hong Kong correspondent
The city has not seen a murder mystery like this since 2003, when American housewife Nancy Kissel killed her husband, an investment banker, with a lead ornament.The city has not seen a murder mystery like this since 2003, when American housewife Nancy Kissel killed her husband, an investment banker, with a lead ornament.
Coincidentally, Robert Kissel was also working for Merrill Lynch, the forerunner of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which employed Rurik Jutting until about a week ago.Coincidentally, Robert Kissel was also working for Merrill Lynch, the forerunner of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which employed Rurik Jutting until about a week ago.
According to colleagues, the British banker regularly partied well into the morning hours.According to colleagues, the British banker regularly partied well into the morning hours.
But they have expressed shock that he has been charged with the murder of two sex workers from Indonesia, saying that he had seemed so 'normal'.But they have expressed shock that he has been charged with the murder of two sex workers from Indonesia, saying that he had seemed so 'normal'.
The bar girls of Wan Chai, where Mr Jutting lives, are equally shocked.The bar girls of Wan Chai, where Mr Jutting lives, are equally shocked.
While sex work, by definition, comes with risks, it is perceived to be less risky in a relatively safe city like Hong Kong.While sex work, by definition, comes with risks, it is perceived to be less risky in a relatively safe city like Hong Kong.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: "We can confirm that a British national has been arrested in Hong Kong.A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: "We can confirm that a British national has been arrested in Hong Kong.
"We are in touch with the local police and stand ready to provide consular assistance.""We are in touch with the local police and stand ready to provide consular assistance."
Post-mortem examinations are being conducted to determine the causes of the women's deaths.Post-mortem examinations are being conducted to determine the causes of the women's deaths.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch has yet to respond to BBC requests for information about Mr Jutting.Bank of America Merrill Lynch has yet to respond to BBC requests for information about Mr Jutting.
Historically Hong Kong has enjoyed a relatively low crime rate. According to the Hong Kong Police website, there have been 14 homicides between January and July, down from 56 over the same time period in 2013.Historically Hong Kong has enjoyed a relatively low crime rate. According to the Hong Kong Police website, there have been 14 homicides between January and July, down from 56 over the same time period in 2013.