A neighbour alerted police to the dead body of a man left in a bath for ten days, a court has heard.

Marvin Dickson was found dead at the Wood Green home of his alleged killer, Dante Forrest, on September 20.

The 40-year-old was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of September 10 walking with the defendant and carrying a takeaway pizza box, the Old Bailey heard this morning (September 30).

The court was told that he died as a result of “substantial” blunt force trauma to the left side of his head.

A “blood-stained” pizza box was found in Forrest’s flat in Moselle Avenue, suggesting Marvin died soon after the last sighting, prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC said.

He added that the bath at the flat appeared not to have been used for bathing for a “very long time”.

Forrest, 36, appeared in court via video-link from Pentonville prison charged with the murder of Marvin.

During the short hearing, Judge Philip Katz KC set a plea hearing for December 16.

Forrest, who spoke only to confirm his identity, was remanded into custody.

Reporting by PA.