A TRIAL date was fixed this week for a 47-year-old businessman accused of murdering Wirral solicitor Cheryl Lewis.

John Frederick Allan, of Woodbank Park, Oxton, denies murdering his girlfriend Miss Lewis in Luxor, Egypt, while they were on holiday together last October.

North Wales-born Miss Lewis, 43, was taken to an Egyptian hospital after complaining of stomach pains while on the holiday, but died a short time later.

At Liverpool Crown Court this week the trial date for Allan, who has shaved off his beard since his court appearance last month, was fixed for January 17.

Allan, who was further remanded in custody, has also pleaded not guilty to stealing jewellery worth £6,000 belonging to Miss Lewis's estate between October 9-28 last year.

He also denies stealing a £16,000 Mercedes car with personalised plates belonging to her Birkenhead-based company, Cheryl Lewis & Co., on December 4 and stealing a BMW car, worth £27,000, on January 22 this year belonging to Gillian Cain-Jones.

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