A 34-year-old man has appeared in court accused of preventing the lawful burial of two women whose bodies were found in his flat. 

Zarhid Younis, of Vandome Close, Canning Town, was arrested after police discovered the bodies on Friday morning.

Younis appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with two counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body on or before April 27.

He spoke to confirm his name, date of birth, address as Vandome Close and nationality as British.

Younis was bearded and wearing a grey tracksuit for the hearing.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Kingston Crown Court on May 29.

Meanwhile, in a separate, unrelated matter, Younis admitted failing to comply with supervision requirements imposed following release from a period of imprisonment.

The court heard he failed to attend for post-sentence supervision as instructed on February 18.

Magistrates sentenced him to six days in custody.

Scotland Yard has launched a murder probe but detectives say it could take a week to identify the clothed bodies, which were fused together in a small chest freezer.

It is not known whether the pair were adults and DNA testing is under way as detectives work with the National Crime Agency and missing persons groups to find out who they are.

A 50-year-old who was arrested on suspicion of murder has been released under investigation.