A man charged with the double murder of an aunt and nephew in East Finchley will remain in custody until his trial.

Obina Christopher Ezeoke, 24, of no fixed abode, is charged with shooting Annie Besala Ekofo, 53, and her nephew Bervil Kalikaka-Ekofo, 21.

Police were called by the London Ambulance Service to reports of people injured at an address in Elmshurst Crescent, East Finchley at around 6.25am on Thursday Sep 15.

Detectives were in the area on September 22 to speak to people who would have been around at the time of the shootings.

Ezeoke appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday (September 23) for a preliminary hearing where directions were given to the prosecution and defence on forming their statements.

The prosecution will be handled by the Crown Prosecution Service’s homicide team while Harrow-based Morgan solicitors will represent Ezeoke’s defence.

He will remain in custody in the run up to his plea submission at the trial preparations on December 9 unless a bail submission is made.

A five-week trial is expected to begin on a date around March 6-13 next year, according to the court’s preliminary schedule.

The post mortem examination of Mrs Besala Ekofo concluded on September 21 at Northwick Park Hospital, determining the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest.

The Metropolitan police also revealed Mr Kalikaka-Ekofo, a psychology student, died from a gunshot wound to the head following his post mortem at Northwick Park on September 17.

A 20-year-old man arrested in the early hours of September 17 remains on bail until a date in late October.

Anyone with information can contact the incident room on 020 8358 0300 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.