Stewart Charles Edwards had pleaded not guilty in January to the murder of 54-year-old Linda Wilson on or shortly after September 30 last year.

After a series of legal negotiations, his case will be heard on February 23, at a court yet to be decided.

The case was listed again at Warwick Crown Court last month when a second charge of manslaughter was added to the indictment.

Prosecutor Simon Ward said a defence psychiatric report had been served on the prosecution 'exploring the question of provocation and diminished responsibility'.

Edwards, 43 and of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to that charge - but his plea to the less serious offence was not accepted.

The case had been scheduled for Stafford Crown Court in August, with the accused remanded in custody until then.

But since a hearing last month it has been decided that for reasons including the availability of witnesses, the August date has had to be abandoned.

During a hearing at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday Judge Robert Juckes QC was told no suitable date could be found before February.

He fixed the trial to start on February 23, although no decision was made on where the trial, which is expected to last up to seven days, will take place.

Ms Wilson's body was found on Saturday October 6 after police officers forced their way into her second-floor flat in Regent Street.

She had been strangled, and a police hunt was immediately launched to find Edwards, who was known to Ms Wilson.

He was arrested in Blackpool a few days later.

The 'custody time limit' during which Edwards, who was not in court for the latest hearing, can be held on remand before standing trial has already been extended from April until August.

It is expected that a further application will be made for him to be remanded in custody until the new trial date.