A retired firefighter has pleaded not guilty to bludgeoning his adopted son to death before allegedly trying to dump his body in the Thames.

Colin McSweeny, 59, of South Norwood, is accused of battering his adopted son Shaun McSweeny to death with a scaffolding pole.

The ex-firefighter pleaded not guilty to one charge of murder via video link at the Old Bailey this morning (February 10).

Police found the body of Shaun McSweeny in the boot of a car on Evelyn Street in Deptford at around 3am on November 21 last year.

Officers had been called to reports of a man trying to dump a body in the River Thames nearby.

A post-mortem examination established that Shaun McSweeny was killed by a blunt force to the head.

Colin McSweeny's trial will begin on June 1.