TWO men accused of a double shooting outside a nightclub denied murder charges when they appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday (1211)

Victims Patrick Ford and Eugene Brown were gunned down in the street in Forest Gate, in May.

Mr Ford, 36, died at the scene after being shot in the chest outside the Sugar Lounge in Katherine Road.

Mr Brown died in hospital from a bullet to the head five weeks later.

Six people are now facing trial in connection with the deaths.

Michael Smith, 26, and Nana Oppong, 30, pleaded not guilty to two counts murder.

Smith also denied possession of firearm with intent to endanger life and Oppong also denied perverting the course of justice by giving a false statement to police.

Kevin Powell, 35, denied the attempted murder of Michael Smith and possession of firearm with intent to endanger life.

Nerissa Harris, 28, denied possession of a firearm and perverting the course of justice by removing a firearm from the body of Eugene Brown at the scene.

Both Dashka Stancilas, 29, and Camilla Ghimpu, 25, pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice by removing bullet casings from the floor of the Sugar Lounge.

A seventh suspect, Marsen Christie, 29, of Hackney, had also been accused of possession of firearm and perverting the course of justice but the charges were dismissed by judge Peter Thornton QC following legal argument.

He was discharged from the court.

Smith, of Beaconsfield Road, Canning Town; Oppong, of West Road, Stratford; Powell, from Willesden, Christie, of from Hackney; Ghimpu, of Katherine Road, Forest Gate; Harris, of Chingford; Stancilas, of Prestbury Road, Forest Gate, are due to stand trial on next March.

Smith, Oppong and Powell are in custody while the remainder are on conditional bail.