The German chef whose first wife was found dumped in a bin in Surrey while he was in Malta yesterday pleaded guilty to preventing her lawful and decent burial.

Standing in the dock at Old Bailey, 33-year-old Peter Wallner admitted to the charge of preventing the lawful burial of his former wife, Melanie, after her badly-decomposed body was found in June in a wheelie bin outside the house he shared with his new Maltese wife, Lilia Fenech.

He pleaded not guilty to murdering Mrs Wallner and was remanded in custody until the trial takes place in November.

When contacted, Ms Fenech re-fused to comment and hung up twice, yesterday.

In June, Mr Wallner voluntarily flew to the UK when he found out the Surrey police were looking for him. He was arrested the minute he landed. When the body was found, Ms Fenech categorically denied she or her husband had anything to do with the murder. Ms Fenech went to the UK soon after her husband was arrested and was herself questioned by the Surrey police. She was released on bail but soon after returned to Malta as she was no longer needed by the police.

When contacted by The Times a month ago, Ms Fenech was still insisting she and her husband had nothing to do with the case.

Melanie Wallner was identified through dental records and it is suspected that she was kept in a freezer for several years. The last time Mrs Wallner was seen by her family was in 2006.

Mr Wallner and Ms Fenech had returned to Malta some time before the body was found outside their former residence in Hamilton Avenue, Cobham.

The van in which the couple are believed to have driven to the island was found parked in San Ġwann the day after the gruesome discovery.