A man who murdered a “much loved and respected” young teacher on Christmas Eve will be sentenced in June.

Trainee lawyer Carl Langdell, 26, was due to appear at St Albans Crown Court today and tomorrow (April 21 and 22) to be sentenced over the killing of Buckhurst Hill woman Katie Locke.

However, the sentencing was delayed and will now be held between June 10 and 13, following a hearing to resolve a dispute between the defence and prosecution on June 2 and 3.

It was previously announced that the prosecution were preparing a psychiatric report on Langdell, from Cheshunt.

Reports said he was seeking psychiatric help after previously being convicted of making threats to kill in Bristol.

The body of Miss Locke, 23, was found in a room at the four star Theobalds Park Hotel in Waltham Cross on December 24 last year.

She had been strangled.

After her death, her family said: “We are distraught, in shock and totally devastated.

“There was not a bad bone in Katie’s body.

“Katie worked hard and loved her job as a teacher.

“In what little spare time she had she enjoyed sports.

“We now feel like our future has been stolen from us.”