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The US man accused of imprisoning three women for a decade in his house in Ohio will plead not guilty to all charges, his lawyers say.

Ariel Castro, aged 52, is charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape.

The women were abducted at different times and held in Mr Castro's house in Cleveland. One of them escaped earlier this month and raised the alarm.

"He's not a monster and he shouldn't be demonised," said lawyer Jaye Schlachet.

Speaking to the AFP news agency, he added that details of Mr Castro's innocence "will be disclosed as the case progresses".

Craig Weintraub, another defence lawyer, told WKYC-TV that his client "loves dearly'' the child he fathered with 27-year-old Amanda Berry - one of the three alleged kidnap victims.

The other women freed from Mr Castro's house were Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 32.

The defence lawyers said they had spent four hours speaking to Mr Castro in prison.

Prosecutors in Ohio have said they also plan to seek aggravated murder charges that could carry the death penalty.

The charges relate to alleged forced miscarriages suffered by one victim.

The prosecutors are still preparing their case against Mr Castro and there has yet to be an arraignment hearing.

'Sexual predator'

Mr Castro made his first court appearance in Cleveland on 9 May without entering a plea.

County prosecutor Brian Murphy told that hearing: "The charges against Mr Castro are based on premeditated, deliberate, depraved decisions to snatch three young ladies from Cleveland West Side streets to be used in whatever self-gratifying, self-serving way he saw fit."

He is charged with four counts of kidnapping, covering the three initial abduction victims and Jocelyn, Ms Berry's six-year-old daughter, who was apparently conceived and born in captivity.

The former school bus driver also faces three counts of rape, one against each woman.

Bail was set at $8m (£5.1m), meaning in effect that he has remained in custody ever since. He is currently on suicide watch and is being kept in isolation.

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Queens Park Rangers striker Loic Remy has been arrested on suspicion of rape.

The 26-year-old French international was held by Scotland Yard's sex crime squad along with two other men who were arrested in Fulham, west London.

They were questioned over allegations that a 34-year-old woman was raped on 6 May by three men.

Mr Remy's solicitors said the player denied the allegation, but he could not comment. The men have been released on bail until September.

£8m deal

The allegation was passed to the Met from Kent Police two days after the woman said she was attacked.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "Three men, aged 26, 23 and 22, were arrested at an address in Fulham on suspicion of rape."

Mr Remy joined QPR from Marseille in an £8m deal in January.

In a statement Mr Remy's solicitors, Harbottle & Lewis, said: "Our client is aware of press reports concerning his arrest by the Metropolitan Police Service on the morning of 15 May 2013.

"Our client denies the claim that has been made. Our client is not able to make any further comment in relation to this matter."

It added he "has not been charged with any offence".

A spokesperson for QPR said the club was "aware of the allegations" but could not comment while the police investigation was continuing.

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