A man accused of killing his elderly grandmother at her home in Sittingbourne has appeared at Maidstone Crown Court.

Stuart Lay was not asked to enter a plea to the murder charge during the brief preliminary hearing today.

The 44-year-old, of Homewood Avenue, is alleged to have killed 85-year-old Jean Robertson at her house in Rectory Road.

Lay’s parents watched from the public gallery as he appeared by video link with Elmley Prison, Eastchurch.

Grey-haired and with a beard, Lay spoke only to be identified and to say he could not hear very well over the link.

He will return to court on February 11 next year to enter a plea. Judge Philip Statman set a provisional trial date for April 25.

"She was such a diamond lady" - neighbour

Mr Bennetts invited the court to consider service of psychiatric reports.Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC said he was not going to give details about the circumstances of Mrs Robertson’s death “for obvious reasons”.

Emergency services were called to Rectory Road at just after 9am on Thursday.

An air ambulance landed in Rectory Park but Mrs Robertson died before she could be taken to hospital.

Floral tributes were left outside the house.

Meanwhile, close friends and neighbours paid tribute to Mrs Robertson.

Those that knew her spoke warmly of the “lovely and kind” retired bus conductor.

Friend of 30 years, Annie Luckhurst, said: “I’ve known her since I moved in nearby, but she’d lived there for about 50 years.

“Her husband Ted was a bus driver and he passed last year.

“She was so kind, she would help me and my husband out any time.

“I can’t even sleep at night since it happened, I just can’t believe she’s gone - it’s awful.”

Next door neighbour Robin Stuart added: “You couldn’t ask for a better person to live next to.

“She was such a diamond lady - just doing lovely little things like putting some milk out for my dogs when she was out in the back garden.

“She really will be missed.”