A PSYCHIATRIC patient faced court for the first time today, charged with the murder of another woman patient.

Rachel Bowen, 49, appeared, via a video link from Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire, before Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court.

She is charged with the murder of 52-year-old Linda Goswell, on August 2 last year, at the Cygnet private psychiatric hospital, in Bierley, Bradford, where they were both patients at the time.

Bowen, who was wearing a black and white striped top and black jacket, and had her auburn hair tied back in a ponytail, looked anxious but spoke clearly during the five-minute hearing.

She confirmed her name and date of birth, and when asked her address by the court clerk, she replied: "Rampton Hospital."

Prosecutor Richard Hebbert asked the Bench to send the case to the crown court.

He said Bowen was detained at Rampton Hospital. She would be remanded in custody, but the National Offender Management Service had applied for her to stay at the hospital, where she was being treated.

Bowen's solicitor, Jill Hawkins, said she was content that the Ministry of Justice had been approached, and had agreed, for her client to be transferred from custody. She said documents would be sent to Rampton Hospital so she would stay there and not be removed to prison.

Miss Hawkins said a video link had been fixed for the next hearing, at Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday next week.

Chairman of the Bench, Grizelda Collier, told Bowen: "You are going to be sent for trial at Bradford Crown Court for this offence of murder.

"You will be at the crown court on May 26. Whether you are there in person or by video link will depend on what the authorities say. I will remand you in custody until that time."

A representative of Cygnet Health Care, which runs the hospital, sat in court for the brief hearing, along with two senior detectives from West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.

Miss Goswell, of Halifax, was found dead at the hospital, in Bierley Lane, shortly after 6am on Saturday, August 2, last year.

A post-mortem examination at the time failed to establish a conclusive cause of death and further tests were needed. Inquiries centred on whether the victim might have been strangled or smothered.

Bowen was arrested at the time and bailed for further inquiries. She was charged with murder earlier this week.