Accused man named over teacher’s death

The man accused of murdering a woman whose body was found dumped at a waste management facility has been named in court.

Stephen Fleming, 45, appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning after he was charged with the murder late on Tuesday evening.

Sporting a shaved head and short mullet, he appeared flanked between two security guards shortly after midday.

Mr Fleming did not speak throughout the short hearing, but his eyes were fixed on Magistrate Louise Wildberger.

Prosecutors allege he killed a 67-year-old woman whose body is believed to have been inside a wheelie bin picked up from outside a Coolaroo home, in Melbourne’s outer north.

According to police, the alleged victim has yet to be formally identified, but has been widely reported as Annette Brennan, an English teacher in Melbourne.

In Court, prosecutor Connor Rattray requested an extended period of 20 weeks for police to prepare a brief of evidence, saying the additional time was required to reconstruct and analyse “multiple crime scenes”.

He also said police had requested a report from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine which would “ordinarily” take three months.

This was not opposed by Mr Fleming’s lawyer, Jessica Clarebrough, and the accused man was remanded in custody until January 8.

Mr Rattray opposed a media request to access a summary of the allegations, saying it was currently only “one sentence” long.

Last weekend, investigators could be seen searching a Coolaroo property and canvassing neighbours.

Staff at a waste management facility on Cooper St in Epping found the woman’s body while moving green waste on July 3 and contacted police.

Mr Fleming, also of Coolaroo, was arrested by homicide squad detectives on Tuesday morning and charged with murder on Wednesday evening after an interview.

It’s understood police believe the pair were known to each other but are not related.

A significant CCTV canvas of the Coolaroo area remains ongoing and police are keen to speak to anyone who may have CCTV or dash-cam footage, particularly between Sunday 23 June and Tuesday 2 July.

Detectives are also keen to speak to anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the area around that time.

Mr Fleming was not required to enter pleas and will return to court in January next year.