The trial of an Angus man accused of choking and stabbing his partner is scheduled to go ahead next month.
Keith Rizzo is charged with the killing of care worker Neomi Smith at her flat in Brechin on June 9 last year.
It is claimed he initially forced entry to the property and compressed Miss Smith’s neck, restricting her breathing.
Rizzo, of Brechin, is then said to have repeatedly struck the 23-year-old on the head and body with knives.
He faces a separate charge of assaulting Miss Smith, of Aberdeen, to her injury and danger of life between May 5 and June 8 2019.
Prosecutors claim the alleged attack happened at her flat and at Hudson’s Bar in Brechin.
The charge includes accusations Rizzo hit Miss Smith’s head against a wall, punched her and caused her to lose consciousness by again compressing her neck.
He is further charged with threatening and abusive behaviour towards Miss Smith.
Rizzo also faces allegations involving four other women, three described as his “ex-partner” in the indictment faced by the accused
Those accusations span between December 2014 and May 2019.
The charges include claims he assaulted three of them and behaved in a threatening manner towards the other.
Rizzo also faces a charge of resisting arrest.
The Crown Office has confirmed the trial is scheduled to begin at the High Court in Glasgow on February 17.
It is anticipated the case could last around eight days.
