Henry Richard Hammond, 27, who is accused of murdering Greek Australian woman Courtney Herron in an inner-Melbourne park in May has pleaded not guilty.

He appeared in a video link in court on Wednesday dressed in a green T-shirt, and clean shaven with short hair. He entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ to killing Ms Herron, who was found dead behind logs at Royal Park in Parkville on the morning of May 25.

Police had said that Ms Herron was killed in a ‘horrendous bashing’.

Ms Herron’s mother, Maxie, was present in the proceedings and began to cry when the plea was entered stating later that she had been disappointed, though it was not unexpected. She said, it “was a punch in the guts” to hear.

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Ms Herron was raised in Melbourne by a loving Greek-Australian family and had a younger brother and sister. Her funeral took place in June at St Dimitrios Greek Orthodox church at Moonee Ponds.

The matter will return to the Supreme Court for a directions hearing on 7 January.

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