A man has denied murdering 43-year-old Adell Cowan in Caerphilly 18 months ago.

Carl Silcox, 44, of Commercial Road, Aberbargoed, pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Cowan during a hearing at Newport Crown Court. He also pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

At around 12.10am on Sunday, October 18, 2020, police were called to a property in Dol-Yr-Eos, Mornington Meadows, where Ms Cowan’s body had been found.

In the days following her murder, police released CCTV images of Ms Cowan and appealed for information to try and trace her final steps.

CCTV from the 7-11 store on Bedwas Road, Caerphilly, showed Ms Cowan wearing a bright pink and blue coat, jeans and a patterned face mask.

Mr Silcox appeared at the hearing through video link from HMP Cardiff. He will now face a three-week trial, which will get underway on August 8.

He will be kept in custody until the trial.

“Bubbly”

Paying tribute at the time of her death in October 2020, Ms Cowan’s family described her as a “much-loved sister, auntie, niece and friend to many”.

The family added: “She was bubbly, sociable and well-known in the community.