THE husband of a woman found stabbed in the neck has appeared in court charged with her murder.

Mother-of-five Linda Barnett, 44, of Lamberhurst Close, Orpington, was found bleeding in her front garden by two ambulance crews just before 8am on April 18.

She was not breathing and, despite attempts to resuscitate her, was pronounced dead on arrival at Princess Royal University Hospital, in Farnborough.

Unemployed John Barnett, 42, of the same address, was charged with her murder the following day. He appeared at the Old Bailey on Monday and was remanded in custody until June 23 when he will enter a plea.

Neighbours described the Barnetts as a "loving" family who "kept themselves to themselves" and whose children would often play in the street with others.

Neighbour Geoff Stocker, 50, told News Shopper: "It is rough round here but stuff like this very rarely happens. It has come as a big shock to everyone.

Nobody would have expected anything like this."

April 29, 2003 10:00