A 47-YEAR-OLD businessman made his first appearance at Liverpool Crown Court last week accused of murdering Wirral solicitor Cheryl Lewis.

John Frederick Allan, of Woodbank Park, Oxton, pleaded not guilty to murdering his girlfriend Miss Lewis in Luxor, Egypt, while they were on holiday together last October.

During the 15-minute hearing, bearded, bespectacled Allan, who was wearing a dark green sweater, plaid shirt and beige chinos, spoke only to confirm his identity and enter his pleas.

As well as denying the murder on or about October 10, Allan also pleaded not guilty to stealing jewellery worth £6,000 belonging to Miss Lewis's estate between October 9 and 28 last year.

He also denied 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, worth nearly £27,000, on January 22 this year belonging to Gillian Cain-Jones.

Prosecuting counsel Mr Peter Davies told the judge that it was 'a particularly complex case'. He said that inquiries are still being made in a number of countries into the cause of Miss Lewis's death.

The trial is to take place in early January and Allan was further remanded in custody.

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

She was estranged from her husband and shared her large detached home with Allan.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.