Hong Kong - A 23-year-old man accused of murdering two Hong Kong prostitutes appeared in court Saturday following a wave of killings that terrified the city's sex workers.

Hong Tze-yee is accused of killing a 47-year-old prostitute from Hong Kong in the apartment where she worked on January 10 and a 38-year-old Thai prostitute in her flat on January 31.

Both women were murdered as they worked alone by a killer who posed as a client and stole money and other items from their apartments.

The murder of a third prostitute killed in a similar fashion on January 11 is still under investigation.

No plea was taken when Hong made his brief appearance in Hong Kong's Kowloon City Court on Saturday morning. He was remanded in custody until next Thursday.

Five of the 36 murders in Hong Kong last year involved the killing of prostitutes, a trend that has led welfare groups to call on the government to give sex workers greater protection against attack.

Current anti-prostitution laws in the former British colony mean women can be prosecuted if they work as prostitutes in an apartment together, but not if they work alone.

Four prostitutes were murdered in the apartments where they worked the space of three days in March 2008. A Pakistani suspect is awaiting trial after being charged with three of the killings. (dpa)