An Italian volunteer worker has denied murdering a veterinary pharmacist at a stud farm in East Devon.
Luigi Palmas, aged 27, pleaded not guilty to murdering Katherine Bevan when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court by video link from Broadmoor special hospital.
He is accused of murdering Katherine Bevan at Combe Farm Arabians, at Gittisham, near Honiton, on January 3, this year.
He also denied assaulting Nicholas Harris, causing actual bodily harm, at Exeter on January 20.
Judge Peter Johnson set a date for a two-week jury trial at Exeter on October 26 this year and remanded Palmas in custody. He extended custody time limits until the trial.
Palmas was working as a volunteer at the farm in January. Mrs Bevan was living on site and her body was found in an animal enclosure.
Mrs Bevan was a well-known member of the local community where she worked as a pharmacist for a vet’s practice.
She had been living at Combe Farm for about a year and had published a book about her love of cattle called Knowing about Daisy..
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