Ex-love admits stab killing of girl but denies murder
THE former boyfriend of a university student stabbed to death in a shopping centre car park has denied murder but accepts killing her.
Joshua Stimpson, 26, yesterday pleaded not guilty to murdering Molly McLaren, 23, as she sat in her car in Chatham, Kent.
Judge Adele Williams was told by Stimpson’s barrister Oliver Saxby, QC, that he will plead guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at the start of his trial in January.
Mr Saxby told the court: “The issue at trial is going to be diminished responsibility.
Beautiful
He accepts the offence of manslaughter and if it was on the indictment and he was arraigned, he would plead guilty today.”
He added that two psychiatric reports had already been obtained.
Clean-shaven Stimpson was crying when brought into the dock at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent.
He was composed when he spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and nationality and then deny the murder charge.Molly’s parents were visibly upset as they sat in the public gallery for the brief hearing.
Stimpson’s family were also in court.
Stimpson’s Facebook page stated that he and Molly were in a relationship at the end of December last year.
He posted several photos of them together.
But at the time of her death Molly’s “status” on her Facebook page was “single”.
She suffered multiple stab wounds to her chest, neck and throat during the attack on June 29.
Stimpson, of Wouldham, near Rochester, Kent, was remanded in custody until his trial starts on January 22.
Judge Williams asked that a charge of manslaughter be added to the indictment.
Molly was a student at the University of Kent where she was studying exercise, sport and health education.
She lived in the nearby village of Cobham and worked part-time at local pub, the Leather Bottle.
Paying tribute at the time of her death, the manager described her as “beautiful, lovely natured, kind hearted, just perfect”.