Alleged Barking serial killer charged with eight other attacks on men
Two bodies were dumped in the grounds of St Margaret's Church - Credit: Archant
An alleged serial killer accused of drugging and murdering four men he met on gay dating websites was today charged with attacking eight others.
Stephen Port, of Cooke Street, Barking, was originally charged with four counts of murder and four counts of administering a poison.
The 41-year-old has also been accused of six further counts of administering a poison, seven of rape and four sexual assaults against another eight men, it can now be reported.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges, which allegedly took place between 2011 and 2015, at the Old Bailey this morning.
Mr Port sat with his hands clasped in front of him as each of the charges was read out in court.
Appearing in court via video-link from Belmarsh Prison, wearing smart black trousers and a light shirt, he spoke only to confirm his name and enter pleas during the brief hearing.
Mr Port also faces four alternative charges of manslaughter for each of the murder counts, which he also denies.
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He allegedly met the men on gay websites and invited them to his house, where he is said to have poisoned them with the party drug GHB.
Four of his alleged victims, all in their 20s, suffered overdoses and were dumped in or near a churchyard in east London.
Mr Port is due to stand trial on October 4, which is expected to last up to 10 weeks.
Detectives launched an investigation after four men died over a period of 14 months.
The force has referred its handling of the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
