An 81-year-old man is alleged to have strangled his wife to death at their Bexleyheath home after becoming "fixated" that they had an infestation of hookworm.

Brian James is accused of murdering Carol James at their home on Dunwich Road last Friday (November 15).

It is alleged that Mr James believed they were both infected with hookworm, but she would continue to go out.

On Friday morning Mrs James was intending to go to a hair appointment, when the defendant allegedly tried to prevent her by hitting her with a pan and then throttling her.

During the attack, she got hold of the saucepan and hit him over the head with it, it is claimed.

Police responded to a 999 call to the property at 8.22am last Friday and found Mrs James collapsed in bed.

Police and paramedics carried out chest compressions but she was pronounced dead at 9.10am.

The defendant was treated in hospital for a head injury before being taken to Lewisham Police Station and charged with murder.

On Wednesday, Mr James was not deemed to be in a fit state to attend a hearing at the Old Bailey before Judge Mark Dennis.

Prosecutor Nicholas Hearn said the cause of Mrs James’s death was compression of the neck.

He said it appeared the defendant had a “fixation” with a health condition but there was no indication of hookworm infestation.

Judge Dennis set a plea hearing for March 10 and a trial of up to seven days from September 1 next year.

The defendant was remanded into custody.