David Burgess tube death – Nina Kanagasingham appears at Old Bailey
Published: 4th November, 2010
by DAVID ST GEORGE
A WOMAN alleged to have pushed a cross-dressing human rights lawyer into the path of a Tube train has made a brief appearance at the Old Bailey.
Father-of-three David Burgess, 63, a Canadian-born solicitor well known in legal circles, died last Monday after the incident at King’s Cross station.
Mr Burgess, who lived off Dean Street in Soho, worked for Luqmani Thompson and Partners in Wood Green. He specialised in assisting asylum seekers and victims of torture.
As an escort he used the name “Sonia” and said he was looking for paid meetings with men.
Sri Lankan Nina Kanagasingham, 34, of Chichele Road, Cricklewood, who is awaiting a sex change, appeared before Judge Timothy Pontius to confirm her identity and her wish to be referred to as a female.
She was remanded in custody and will be asked to enter a plea to a murder charge at her next appearance on February 11 next year.
Prosecutor Sarah Counsell revealed that 12 members of the public were “significant witnesses” to the incident on the Piccadilly line platform at 6.30pm.
Several travellers thought that when the victim went under a train it was “a joke which went wrong”, said Miss Counsell.
The death of Mr Burgess had “a great impact on members of the public at the station and the driver involved”. Miss Kanagasingham was detained at the scene but made no comment to police.
The prosecution said they had “limited knowledge” of the background but had established that the two people concerned had known each other for a year. They met up shortly before the incident and were involved in an argument.
Psychiatrists are to interview the accused and a decision will be made at a later date as to whether she should be granted bail, the court heard.