Dean Williams denies murdering Mary Malkin in Margate
A man has admitted killing his girlfriend nine years ago during a retrial ordered by the Court of Appeal.
Dean Williams, of Millmead Road, Margate, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
However, he denied murdering Mary Malkin, 40, who he strangled in the flat they shared in January 2005.
Maidstone Crown Court was told Mr Williams' defence will claim he was suffering from brain damage as a result of alcohol dependency syndrome.
A post-mortem examination found that Ms Malkin died from asphyxia, consistent with manual strangulation.
'Aggressive and violent'
Prosecutor Cairns Nelson QC said the issue in the case was whether the defendant can satisfy the jury that the combination of the syndrome and "some brain damage" substantially impaired his mental responsibility for the killing.
Speaking to the jury, he said: "The single question for you to decide is whether in respect of that strangulation, the proper verdict is murder or manslaughter."
He added: "Mr Williams had an aggressive and violent personality when in drink, demonstrated by his repeated violence towards Mary Malkin in the year before he killed her."
Mr Williams had told police that he had fallen asleep in bed with Ms Malkin on the night of her death, but woke the next morning finding that she was cold.
He said he carried out CPR and mouth to mouth resuscitation and then panicked.
The trial continues.