A 25-year-old man has denied murdering a former councillor, but admitted fraud in relation to bank cards belonging to his alleged victim.

Sakander Hussain pleaded not guilty to the murder of Wallis Webb during a video-link appearance at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday.

The charge against Hussain, who is being held at HMP Hewell in Worcestershire, alleges that he killed 65-year-old Mr Webb on a day between January 30 and February 7 this year.

The defendant pleaded guilty to a separate fraud charge spanning the same dates, which related to the use of a bank card and a credit card at a takeaway and two supermarkets.

Mr Webb was found dead at a property in Baldmoor Lake Road in Erdington on February 6.

Hussain, of Ingleton Road, Birmingham, was remanded in custody by Judge Simon Drew KC until a two-week trial expected to start at the same court on August 12.