A DORSET Police officer has admitted causing the death of a woman in a village pub car park but denied her murder.

Timothy Brehmer is accused of murdering nurse Claire Parry, 41, who died in hospital following an incident in the car park of the Horns Inn in Christchurch Road, West Parley.

During a hearing at Winchester Crown Court, Brehmer, 41, from Hordle, Hampshire, pleaded not guilty to murder but entered a guilty plea to a charge of manslaughter.

Brehmer, a police constable with Dorset Police, is to stand trial on the murder charge on October 12 at the same court with a pre-trial review on October 6.

Judge Jane Miller QC told the defendant, who appeared by video link from HMP Exeter: “We have made arrangements for your trial, it’s going to start on October 12.

“You are going to be remanded in custody until that date.”

As reported, officers were called to the car park of the Horns Inn on Saturday, May 9, after the ambulance service reported two people needed medical assistance.

Mrs Parry, from Bournemouth, was taken to Royal Bournemouth Hospital for treatment but died the following day.

A post-mortem examination concluded the cause of death was a brain injury caused by compression of the neck.

Brehmer was arrested at the scene of the incident and taken to Poole Hospital for treatment to a self-inflicted knife injury to his arm, which required surgery, before he was discharged into custody.

Dorset Police said the defendant, who served with the force but was on secondment to the National Police Air Service, was not on duty at the time of the incident but due to his occupation and the seriousness of the charge, a referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.