Hornchurch pensioner Rosemary Shearman, following whose death a South Woodford man was charged with murder, died of asphyxiation, her post mortem found.

Rosemary, 77, was found dead at her home in Platford Green on Tuesday afternoon.

This morning former Crown Prosecution Service worker Thomas Blazquez, 50, of Onslow Gardens, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with her murder.

Rosemary’s post mortem, which was held on Thursday but whose results were not released until today, found her death was caused by mechanical obstruction of the upper airway.