George Gordon is due to stand trial later this year charged with murdering 64-year-old Delia McInerney after human remains were found in a flat
10:51, 23 Apr 2026Updated 10:57, 23 Apr 2026
George Gordon denies the murder of Delia McInerney(Image: Trinity Mirror)
A pensioner who is accused of murder after human remains were found in a flat has denied killing five guinea pigs. George Gordon is due to stand trial later this year charged with the murder of 64-year-old Delia McInerney.
Police made the discovery after attending an address on Gerards Court in St Helens in January, having received reports of concern for a person’s safety. The 65-year-old defendant previously pleaded not guilty to her murder, with a four- to six-week trial scheduled to begin at Liverpool Crown Court on October 12, 2026.
Gordon, of Gerards Court, was brought before Liverpool Magistrates’ Court this morning, Wednesday, after being further charged with one count of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. This alleges that, between April 10 2023 and January 8 this year, he “killed five guinea pigs by pulling the neck, restricting or crushing the vertebrae to dislocate”.
Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a grey prison issue jumper and glasses, he spoke to confirm his name, address and date of birth before denying the charge. He will next appear before the crown court on May 1, being remanded into custody until this date by District Judge James Hatton, after which he replied: “Thank you.”
The ECHO previously reported that Merseyside Police attended the address in question at around 11.30pm on Thursday, January 8. A mobile police station and numerous police vehicles were seen in a car park outside the apartment block, with a white forensics tent having also been erected at the rear of the building.
CSI officers were spotted in the area, carrying items including a backpack, with searches having also been carried out at a property on Douglas Road over the past few weeks. Residents of Gerards Court told the ECHO that the street was “such a quiet row of houses”, with one woman saying: “I saw the police, but I don’t like to read the bad news.
“It’s usually really quiet and peaceful around here. We’ve lived here around nine years, and there’s never been any bother. I know one person who lives in those flats, but it used to be a lot of older people. A lot of them have gone now I think and other people have moved in, but you still don’t really hear anything. It’s quite morbid to be honest.”
The murder charge which Gordon faces alleges that Ms McInerney, of Douglas Road in Anfield, was killed “on or before April 12 2023”. Her sister Rita McInerney described her as a “great artist, a free spirit” and “really out there”, adding: “A rebel. Intelligent, with a dynamic personality. Kind, caring and helpful. She was well loved as a sister and friend. I will miss her always.”
Gordon is also charged with preventing lawful and decent burial of a dead body, obstructing a coroner in the execution of their duty, three counts of fraud and one of theft.
This includes accusations that he stole £60,436.09 “belonging to another” before April 11 2023 and January 9 this year, while one of the fraud offences relates to a period between June 2023 and February 2024, during which he is said to have made “false representations to Tesco, MBNA, HSBC and Zopa, purporting to be the deceased and obtaining credit cards in her name”.
Another count states that, on or before May 31 2023, he “made a false representation to Tesco bank, purporting to be the deceased and obtaining a £10,000 loan”. A third concerns a date on or before June 2 2025, when he is said to have “made a false representation to Nationwide, purporting to be the deceased and opening a bank account in her name”.