Suzanne Brown killing: Man 'told police 'I've killed someone''

Suzanne Brown was stabbed 173 times and struck with a vase

A man alleged to have stabbed his partner 173 times told officers what he had done was "brutal" when they entered his flat, a court heard.

Jake Neate, 37, is accused of the "frenzied" attack on Suzanne Brown, at their Essex home on 16 December 2017.

Miss Brown, 34, died at the scene, in Mountbatten Court, Braintree.

Mr Neate suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and has been found unfit to stand trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

A trial is being held to determine if Mr Neate, who remains in a psychiatric hospital, was the person who killed Miss Brown.

He has not entered a plea and cannot attend the proceedings.

'Covered in blood'

Police officers who attended the scene told the jury Mr Neate said he had killed Miss Brown by stabbing her "six or seven times".

Sgt Richard Ambrose told the court he attempted to gain entry to the flat through a neighbour who knocked on the door of the couple's home.

He said: "He [Mr Neate] said in quite a clear voice, 'okay but I have to tell you I have killed someone'.

"I told him to open [the door] again and he placed his hand around the edge of the door at which point I saw straight away that his hand was covered in blood."

Mr Neate had been taken off anti-psychotic medication in October 2017 due to health issues, the court heard.

Miss Brown's sister Rebecca Foskett told the jury she had discovered a kitchen knife in an oven tray on the sofa, a bread knife by the TV and three table knives in Mr Neate's car.

The court heard Mr Neate had told officers "what I did to her was brutal, her family will kill me" and asked if any press reports could express he was "really sorry".

The trial continues.