A MAN accused of murdering his partner on Christmas Day has accepted that he killed her, a court has heard.

James Hutchinson, 42, of Bankholme Court, Holme Wood, made a second appearance at Bradford Crown Court yesterday.

He has been charged with the murder of 39-year-old mum-of-two Nicola Woodman, whose body was found by ambulance staff in a house at the same address at about 4.20pm on December 26.

She was pronounced dead at the scene, with a post-mortem examination later confirming she had died from a stab wound to the chest.

When Hutchinson first appeared before magistrates on December 29, the court heard that Miss Woodman had died some time on Christmas Day.

He had been brought to court to enter a plea to the charge yesterday, but prosecutor Jonathan Sharp said the defence had asked for the formal arraignment to be adjourned.

Jayne Beckett, for Hutchinson, said the prosecution papers had yet to be served.

Mr Sharp told the court there was “no dispute” that Hutchinson had caused Miss Woodman’s death, or the time or circumstances of the incident.

“The only issue is whether there is a medical defence,” he said.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, heard that the potential issues in the case were those of diminished responsibility or loss of control.

Hutchinson, dressed in a dark tracksuit top and bottoms, spoke only to confirm his name to the clerk of the court.

He spent much of the 20-minute hearing with his arms folded staring at the ground, never once looking at the public gallery, which was packed with Miss Woodman’s family and friends.

Mr Sharp said the custody time limits for Hutchinson expired at the end of June.

Miss Beckett said as she had not yet received the prosecution papers, a psychiatric expert to assess her client had yet to be approached.

She added that while a trial was unlikely to involve any witnesses being called, it would require analysis of evidence from mobile phones and other media.

Judge Thomas fixed a date for a trial, listed to last no more than five days, for June 26, causing a number of visibly upset people to leave the public gallery.

After consulting a police officer in the case, Mr Sharp told Judge Thomas that the upset had been caused by June 26 being Miss Woodman’s birthday.

Judge Thomas said he was sorry for the coincidence, but he stressed that the date needed to be fixed due to the custody time limits.

He ordered that papers be served by the prosecution by February 17 at the latest, with a defence statement in response by March 17.

Addressing Hutchinson in the dock, Judge Thomas told him: “This case is listed for trial on June 26.

“Having said that, there is work to do on both sides as to what is going on here.”

He remanded Hutchinson in custody until his next court appearance.

Emotional tributes to Miss Woodman were paid on social media in the aftermath of her death, with floral messages at the scene including one, seemingly from her two children, reading: “For my mum, love you, gonna miss you. RIP. Jack and Chloe.”

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