³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

The man accused of murdering Emma Caldwell is facing charges against a further 27 women, court papers reveal.

Iain Packer, 50, has been charged with her murder and 45 other offences, including 11 rapes, over a 26-year period. His lawyer lodged a not guilty plea on his behalf at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Ms Caldwell, a 27-year-old sex worker in Glasgow, disappeared in April 2005.

Her body was found five weeks later in a remote part of South Lanarkshire.

A preliminary hearing before Lord Beckett was allowed to proceed in Mr Packer's absence on Tuesday due to a delay transporting the accused to court.

A trial date was set for January 2024, with proceedings expected to last 11 weeks.

Mr Packer is alleged to have raped and murdered Ms Caldwell on 5 April 2005.

He is accused of strangling her in an area called Limefield Woods in South Lanarkshire.

He is further charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of her naked body and possessions "by means to the prosecutor unknown".

Several of the other alleged crimes are also said to have taken place at Limefield Woods.

As well as rape, the charges include cases of alleged abduction, indecent assault and sexual assault involving a number of women.

The 46 charges are alleged to have taken place between 1990 to 2016.

Mr Packer is accused of "indecent and libidinous practices" towards a girl aged between 14 and 15 from July 1990 to October 1991.

He is also accused of a series of sexual offences which are alleged to have taken place until 2016.

Mr Packer is also accused of assaulting three men between February 2008 and October 2011, as well as punching a 15-year-old boy in the head between June 1992 and June 1993.