RAF MILDENHALL, England — A 41-year-old woman pleaded guilty to manslaughter Tuesday in the death of a Ministry of Defence police constable stationed at RAF Menwith Hill.
Suzanne Phillipson appeared at Preston Crown Court to face a murder charge in the death of David Smith, 35. She is believed to have stabbed Smith in the heart Sept. 21 while he was off duty at his home in Barnolds- wick, according to Lancashire police.
Phillipson pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter as part of her arraignment on Tuesday. The prosecution in the murder case has not accepted the manslaughter plea yet, according to court spokeswoman Evy Jukes.
The murder trial is set to begin March 10, Jukes added.
Police were called Sept. 21 at 6:45 p.m. regarding a violent incident at Smith’s home on Skipton Road in Barnoldswick. Smith was discovered with serious injuries and later died at Burnley General Hospital, a Lancashire police news release said.
An autopsy carried out by the British Home Office found the cause of death to be a fatal stab wound to the heart, the release added.
Lancashire police spokesman Nathan Skelton had said that Smith and Phillipson were living together at the time of the incident.
A court spokeswoman had also said earlier that Phillipson was being held at Her Majesty’s Prison Styal.
