Roderick Deakin-White faces Old Bailey court after allegedly killing partner Amy Parsons
A British man accused of killing his Australian girlfriend has attempted to plead guilty to manslaughter at the Old Bailey in London.
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A British man accused of murdering his Australian girlfriend has pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter in London’s Old Bailey.
Roderick Deakin-White, 37, pleaded guilty to manslaughter of his girlfriend, Melbourne woman Amy Parsons, 35.
But prosecutors rejected his plea and called for the case to go to trial in October.
Deakin-White attended court wearing a red t-shirt and dark tracksuit pants. He replied: “Not guilty to murder, guilty to manslaughter,” when asked about his plea to the count of murder.
Prosecution laywer Michael Bisgrove said the plea was “not acceptable” as a trial had been listed for October.
Deakin White was warned he would lose any benefits of a guilty plea if he later changed his mind.
His defence counsel Ronnie Manek said Deakin-White was claiming a “loss of control” and that the trial may raise issues of “diminished responsibility”.
Amy Parsons was pronounced dead on April 25 this year when police were called to the couple’s London flat in east London after neighbours raised concerns.
She was pronounced dead at the scene and a post-mortem examination revealed she had been struck several times.
An earlier hearing at the Old Bailey was told the couple’s relationship had “deteriorated” and that Deakin-White struck Miss Parsons with a metal bar.
The Parsons family has raised more than $30,000 in a crowdfunding campaign in order to bring Amy home and give her “the farewell she deserves.”
“The family will also be donating a significant sum to an intimate partner violence charity in Amy’s name. We can’t thank you enough for your kindness.”
“May Amy’s spirit always be in our hearts and her strength guide us,” they wrote on a crowdfunding site.
Originally published as Roderick Deakin-White faces Old Bailey court after allegedly killing partner Amy Parsons
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