The 29-year-old securities trader is accused of killing two young Indonesian women whose bodies were found at his upmarket apartment in the southern Chinese city/AFP
HONG KONG, Nov 10 – A British banker charged with the grisly murders of two women flashed a smile as he left a Hong Kong court Monday, after his case was adjourned so he can undergo psychiatric evaluation.
The 29-year-old securities trader who until recently worked at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, is accused of killing two young Indonesian women whose bodies were found at his upmarket apartment in the southern Chinese city.
As the victims’ mutilated bodies were due to be flown home to Indonesia, Rurik Jutting shot a grin from the back of a prison van following the hearing.
The case was “adjourned… for two psychiatric reports on the defendant’s fitness to plead”, said principal magistrate Bina Chainrai.
Reports by two different doctors are required under Hong Kong law, prosecutor Louise Wong told AFP.
Jutting is being held at Hong Kong’s maximum security Siu Lam psychiatric centre, Wong confirmed.
Siu Lam holds male and female prisoners and detainees “who require psychiatric observation, treatment, assessment or special psychological care,” according to its website.
Jutting, who was in court Monday, will be remanded in custody and will next appear on November 24, Chainrai said.
Bearded and wearing black-rimmed glasses, he remained impassive during the brief hearing at Hong Kong’s Eastern Magistrate’s court – his second appearance after being charged with the murders a week ago.
Jutting spoke only once to say “I do” when the magistrate asked him whether he understood the arrangements.
Prosecutor Wong told the court that a reconstruction of the crime “has not yet been conducted because the defendant did not give consent”. READ: British banker in court over grisly Hong Kong double murder.
The defendant’s consent is required for a reconstruction to go ahead, Wong told AFP after the hearing.
“We can’t force him,” she added.
Defence lawyer Tim Parker said that Jutting had not agreed to a reconstruction “yet” – but may do in future.
Parker also applied to obtain video recordings of interviews police had conducted with Jutting.
As he sat in a prison van leaving the hearing, Jutting broke his serious demeanour, cracking a wide smile as he looked ahead and to the side towards a security guard.
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