Man in court over stabbing of pregnant partner

Alana Odysseos, 32, died after being found injured at her home in east London in the early hours of Monday.

Alana Odysseos had just found out she was four weeks pregnant with her third child before she died (family handout/PA) (PA Media)

A man has appeared at the Old Bailey accused of stabbing to death his pregnant partner at her home.

Alana Odysseos, 32, was four weeks pregnant with her third child before she died, according to her family.

At about 3am on Monday, police had received reports of an injured woman at a property in Lynmouth Road in Walthamstow, east London.

Officers found Ms Odysseos suffering stab wounds and she died at the scene soon after.

Her partner, Shaine March, 46, was subsequently arrested and charged with her murder the following day.

On Thursday, March appeared at the Old Bailey by video link from Belmarsh prison.

He spoke only to confirm his identity before Judge Simon Mayo KC set a timetable for the case.

A plea hearing was set for October 23, with a provisional trial from May 6 next year scheduled for up to three weeks at the Old Bailey.

March, of Rainsborough Avenue, in Surrey Quays, south-east London, was remanded into custody.

Ms Odysseos’s sister Jasmine Yates previously paid tribute to her, saying she was “such a happy and bubbly person”.

Ms Yates said her sister had two children and had only recently found out she was expecting a third.

She told the PA news agency: “She was so excited to become a mother again because she just found out she was four weeks pregnant.”