A man admitted decapitating his wife when he appeared in court today.

Naveed Ahmed, 41, initially denied the murder of mother of two Tahira Ahmed, 38, at their home in Merton Avenue in Northolt, west London, on May 27 last year.

In October last year, he pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before the Old Bailey via video link from prison.

But at a brief hearing before judge Christopher Moss QC today, he pleaded to guilty to murder.

The facts of the case were not opened and the judge adjourned sentencing to Wednesday, January 28 at the Old Bailey.

His lawyer Mark Kelly QC told the court that the issue at the previous hearing had been determining Ahmed's state of mind at the time of the killing.

Ahmed, dressed in a dark blue suit and black tie, spoke only to confirm his name and enter the guilty plea in the courtroom attended by members of Mrs Ahmed's family.

The judge warned him that he would face a life sentence for the killing and he would decide on the minimum term at the hearing next week.

Ahmed was remanded in custody.

On the day of the murder, police and an ambulance crew were called to a disturbance at the family home at about 7.45pm.

Mrs Ahmed had suffered multiple injuries in the attack and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her husband of 16 years had fled but was stopped in nearby Pilgrims Close, Scotland Yard said.

Officers noticed he had blood stains on his coat and was sweating heavily. They arrested him immediately.

A post-mortem examination found that Mrs Ahmed had died from injuries to her head and neck.