At Oxford Crown Court today, Sean Freaney, 50, denied murdering his partner Lisa Consterdine, a 48-year-old mother-of-two, who was found dead in her home in Purslane Drive, bicester, in March.

Freaney, also of Purslane Drive, was remanded in custody following the 20-minute hearing.

A trial date has provisionally been set for Monday, August 9.