A man accused of the murder of his ex-girlfriend in a knife attack at the Dockside Outlet shopping centre in Chatham has admitted killing her.

Josh Stimpson pleaded guilty at the start of his trial today to the manslaughter of 23-year-old university student Molly McLaren.

Stimpson, of High Street, Wouldham, Rochester, is alleged to have attacked Miss McLaren, from Cobham, near Gravesend, as she sat in her Citroen C1 car in the shopping centre car park on the morning of Thursday, June 29.

Miss McLaren suffered multiple slash and stab wounds to her chest, neck and throat.

A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in and the case will be opened by prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC tomorrow afternoon. The first witness will be called on Wednesday.

Wearing a grey checked suit and white shirt, Stimpson sat in the dock at Maidstone Crown Court as Judge Adele Williams told jurors they will have to decide whether he killed Molly on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Stimpson, 26, was flanked by a dock officer and four nurses from a psychiatric unit where he is currently being held.

The trial is expected to last at least two weeks. Two reserve jurors were also selected.

“In this case the defendant is charged with murder but he has already pleaded guilty to manslaughter,” said Judge Williams.

“The issue which you are going to be trying is that he raises the defence of diminished responsibility, which reduces the charge of murder to manslaughter.

“But the Crown say this is not a case of diminished responsibility and they argue the defendant is guilty of murder. That is the one issue you are going to be trying in this case.”

The judge warned jurors not to research the case on the internet or talk about it on social media.

Molly, whose parents Doug and Jo sat in the public gallery, had been studying exercise, sport and health education at the Medway campus of Kent University and worked part-time in her local pub, The Leather Bottle in Cobham.

She was also a blogger in health and fitness. Family and friends have since set up The Molly McLaren Foundation to help those suffering with eating disorders.