A MURDER suspect accused of killing his partner's mother and attempting to kill his partner sobbed and shook violently as he appeared in court for a plea hearing.
Damian Homer appeared at Worcester Crown Court via videolink today (Tuesday) charged with the murder of Wendy Hill and the attempted murder of her daughter, Stacey Hill.
The 50-year-old of Haresfield Close in Warndon, Worcester, appeared in court one before Judge James Burbidge KC via a large videolink screen as the case was listed for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
The charges are in relation to the death of 61-year-old Wendy Francis and injuries sustained by her daughter, Stacey Hill, at an address in Haresfield Close on Saturday, March 2.
Stacey Hill, aged 38, was found with life-threatening injuries but is now in a stable condition.
Throughout the hearing Homer, wearing a dark t-shirt, sobbed and shook while clutching a book in one hand. At one stage he held his head in his hands and on another he wiped his face with a tissue.
The case was prosecuted by Siobhan Collins. Homer was represented by Timothy Hannam KC.
During the short administrative hearing, Homer was asked by the clerk if he could hear her and he answered 'I can' while breaking down in tears.
She asked him if he was Damian Homer and he replied 'I am' before details of the indictment were read out by his advocate who requested an adjournment.
Mr Hannam asked that his client not be arraigned (which is where the indictment is formally put to the defendant), requesting an adjournment for a psychiatric report to consider issues of fitness to plead.
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A new date for a plea and trial preparation hearing was listed for Friday, June 7 at Worcester Crown Court.
A date for a trial - if required - had already been set, starting on Tuesday, August 27. Homer's custody time limit was announced as September 2.
Judge Burbidge said: "Damian Homer, I will adjourn your case to June 7. You can enter a plea then. By that stage, you will have seen a psychiatrist."
In the meantime, Homer was remanded in custody.
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