A 20-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a 24-year-old woman who was attacked in Ilford Lane, Ilford.

Farooq Shad, of Station Road, Forest Gate appeared at the Old Bailey yesterday for an initial hearing.

He did not make an application for bail.

Shah will be back in court on February 14 to enter a plea and for case management.

A post-mortem found that Mariana Popa, originally from Romania, died of shock, haemorrhage and stab wounds.

She collapsed in Pizza and Chicken 4 U in Ilford Lane and died at 2am on October 29.