A man appeared in court over allegations of killing his pregnant girlfriend with a pair of scissors.

Liam Taylor, 37, is accused of carrying out a fatal attack at the Stoke Newington home of 28-year-old victim, Ailish Walsh.

Police were called at about 10.20pm on December 15 to reports of an unresponsive woman at the address in Rectory Road.

Ms Walsh had suffered more than 40 puncture wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. She was thought to be 22 weeks pregnant. 

Earlier today (December 21), Taylor, from Hackney, appeared at the Old Bailey by videolink from custody charged with murder.

Prosecutor Jane Osborne KC described the attack on Ms Walsh as “exceptionally brutal”.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC set a plea hearing for March 8 and a three-week trial at the Old Bailey from October 16 next year.

Taylor was remanded into custody.

Friends and family have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money in Ailish's memory to fly her body back to her native Ireland. 

So far, nearly £10,000 has been raised.