killed 69-year-old widow Beatrice Simons.

Michael Brian Pitcher and Michael Dean Eberly, both of Victoria Row, Sandys, were remanded in custody until January 9 when they appeared at Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

The pair were driven less than 100 yards to the court in unmarked Police cars after being pulled out of their cells just before 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Onlookers stood by, mostly in silence, as they were taken out of separate cars. Each man was handcuffed to Police officers.

But there were isolated shouts of "animals'', "let them hang'' and "send them down'' as the two accused men were led through a back door into the courtroom.

Mrs. Simons, who worked as a seamstress at the Belmont Hotel, died on Sunday, December 7, days after Police began probing a frenzied attack in her home.

The victim, of Cochrane Road, Sandys, had been treated in intensive care for severe head injuries but Police launched a murder inquiry when she finally died from her wounds.

More than 20 officers were drafted into the murder investigation headed by Det. Chief Insp. Carlton Adams.

And Pitcher, 31, and Eberly, 34, who live just yards from Mrs. Simons' home, were arrested during separate Police swoops last week.

Pitcher was brought into custody on Christmas Eve, a day after detectives had arrested Eberly.

Neither man spoke in court. Pitcher, wearing a blue sweat suit, and Eberly, wearing a grey sweat suit, simply stood when their names were called to hear the charges read against them.

Each man was charged with the murder of Mrs. Simons and breaking and entering her home between December 1 and December 2.

Prosecutor Khamisi Tokunbo, supported by Larry Mussenden, told the court: "The charges obviously speak for themselves.'' Defence lawyers Richard Hector, for Eberly, and John Cooper, for Pitcher, made no applications for bail.

Reporting restrictions were not lifted and Senior Magistrate Will Francis remanded the pair in custody until January 9, when they will appear at Plea Court to answer the charges.

After the 12-minute hearing, the accused men were driven back to Hamilton Police station in a white Daihatsu Applause and a brown Mazda 323.

Photos by David Skinner ACCUSED -- Murder suspects Michael Dean Eberly (top) and Michael Brian Pitcher (bottom, right) are led away by Police officers after their first court appearance. The pair are jointly charged with killing 69-year-old Beatrice Simons after allegedly breaking into her Sandys home earlier this month.