A would-be cage fighter accused of beheading a great-grandmother in her garden has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Appearing briefly at London's Old Bailey, Nicholas Salvador, nicknamed 'Fat Nick', spoke only to issue his plea. Dressed in black and flanked by three security guards, he also pleaded not guilty to a separate assault charge, giving the same reason. Nicholas Salvador (right) is accused of killing Palmira Silva (left) in her garden in September last year . The widow ran a successful cafe, Silva's Cafe, in Church Street, Edmonton - where members of the public laid floral tributes after her murder on September 4 last year . Salvador, 25, is accused of killing Palmira Silva, 82, with a machete. She was found dead in a garden in Nightingale Road, Edmonton, north London, in September 2014. The suburban street became the scene of a major police operation after officers were called to apprehend the alleged killer. Happy family: Palmira and her late husband Domenico with their now grown-up children, Celestina and Rino . Mrs Silva moved to London from her native southern Italy with her husband Domenico six decades ago . Several of the victim's relatives, including her daughter Celestina, were in the courtroom to witness the plea. Mrs Silva moved to London from her native southern Italy with her husband Domenico six decades ago. They married and had a daughter, Celestina, and a son, Rino. The widow ran a successful cafe, Silva's Cafe, in Church Street, Edmonton - where members of the public laid floral tributes after her murder on September 4 last year. Mr Silva died in 2008 but the family continued the business. Mrs Silva had only recently stopped working full time at the cafe that she and her son ran. Salvador, an only child, is thought to have left home at the age of around 13 or 14 after arriving in the UK from Nigeria with his parents. Police were forced to stage a dramatic evacuation operation to save neighbours during the incident, and an armed squad Tasered the suspect. The house in the busy street where the Italian widow's body was found was the scene of a major police operation after officers were called initially to reports that a man had beheaded an animal. Scotland Yard said that its officers distracted a man after he was seen going through back gardens in Nightingale Road while they evacuated people from nearby homes. Judge Hilliard set a trial date of June 22 at the Old Bailey and Salvador was then escorted out of the dock. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Nicholas Salvador accused of beheading Palmira Silva in her garden.
He pleaded not guilty on grounds of insanity at London's Old Bailey today.
Also pleaded not guilty to a separate assault charge, citing same reason.
Mrs Silva was found dead in a garden in Edmonton in September 2014.