A WINCHESTER man has denied murdering his partner and her four-year-old son.

James Conan, of Woolford Close, Stanmore, is charged with murdering Kirsty O'Connell, 21, and her four-year-old son, Patrick, in August last year.

Kirsty died of multiple stab wounds and compression to the neck, and Patrick was asphyxiated.

Appearing at Winchester Crown Court today, Conan pleaded not guilty to murdering Kirsty on the basis of provocation and Patrick on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Conan, a former security guard, was due to make his plea on January 11 but there have been several delays due to lack of medical reports.

At the brief hearing on Friday, the trial date was also set back to January 2009 due to his need for heart surgery.

Defence lawyers said Conan needed to have a triple heart bypass and that the operation was due towards the end of May.

Nigel Lickley QC reported that the recovery period was between three and six months and therefore the chance of Conan being able to stand trial in June was unlikely.

He told Judge Michael Brodrick that the next available trial date was January 26, 2009, as building works were taking place at the court later in the year and the case was reserved only for a high court judge.

Judge Brodrick said: "This is disappointingly unfortunate as far as the relatives of the deceased are concerned because the last thing they want is further delay before the outcome."

However, he added that he was satisfied that given the state of the defendant's health, the trial should be put back to next year and Mr Conan's stay in custody extended.

The previous trial slot on June 4 will be kept until the court has exact confirmation of Conan's operation date.