A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of his two-year-old daughter in Surrey. Kevin Kerjean, 31, is also accused of rape of a child under 13 and sexual assault of a child under 13.
Court Appearance
Mr Kerjean spoke only to confirm his name and sat with his hand over his face for much of the hearing on Monday (June 29) at Guildford Crown Court. Surrey Police said he is a French national born in the Central African Republic.
The victim was not named in court, but the Crown Prosecution Service has since confirmed she was the defendant’s daughter, Assia Kerjean.
Incident Details
Officers were called to a property in Pyrcroft Road, Chertsey, at around 5.40pm on Thursday, after concerns about safety were raised with police. Assia was found dead. Surrey Police had said the child was thought to be known to the accused and officers believed the incident took place within a family setting.
Mr Kerjean appeared at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on Saturday and was remanded ahead of Monday’s crown court hearing.
Legal Proceedings
Judge Patricia Lees ordered that he next appear in custody for a pre-trial preparation hearing on September 14 and a three-week trial was provisionally set for January 4 at Guildford Crown Court.
Immigration Status
The Home Office previously confirmed that Mr Kerjean legally entered the UK and applied for European Union Settled Status in December 2020, according to Surrey Police. He was granted leave to remain in the UK in March 2021 and received an extension, which gave him permission to remain until March 2031.
The force also said online rumours that the incident took place in an asylum seeker house of multiple occupancy (HMO) are “incorrect”.
Community Response
Bouquets of flowers were left at the entrance to Syward Place, a flat complex on the corner of Pyrcroft Road and Bell Bridge Road, on Friday.
