A woman accused of stabbing a grandmother to death with a butcher's knife has not attended court because of mental health problems.
Unemployed Nicola Edgington, 31, is charged with killing law firm accounts manager Sally Hodkin, 59, in a busy shopping street in Bexleyheath, south east London, on Monday.
Edgington, of Ambedkar House, Flavell Mews, Greenwich, south east London, is also charged with the attempted murder of a 23-year-old woman who was injured as she waited at a bus stop.
Greenwich Magistrates' Court was told Edgington was unfit to be taken into the courtroom to face charges.
A security guard summoned to describe Edgington's condition said the woman was "agitated".
"At the moment she is in a cell with three officers but I am a bit reluctant to bring her up with everyone around.
"She seems to be very agitated with people in the cells, she's getting very agitated and uppity."
Mrs Hodkin, who has not been officially named by police, is understood to have been on her way to work at law firm Cunningham Blake when she was apparently stabbed in the neck. She is believed to have lived locally and was pronounced dead at 8.41am.
Edgington, who was represented by her solicitor Callum Haddow, was told her case will be heard next at the Old Bailey on Thursday when a bail application is due to take place. A plea and case management hearing was scheduled for January 17.
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health services in a number of south east London boroughs, said Edgington had unexpectedly left an assessment suite while a bed was being prepared for her at 7am on Monday. Police were notified immediately.