A man convicted 14 years ago of the brutal killing of a North-East woman has won the right to remain anonymous during the hearing of his appeal.

In a unique ruling, three judges in London imposed restrictions banning the media from naming the man, the victim and prosecution witnesses, and from publishing the victim's address in Newcastle.

The order - the first of its kind in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division - came after the judges read a psychiatric report warning that publicity was likely seriously to destabilise the man's mental health, even if he won his appeal, and prevent his resettlement in the Newcastle area.

Referred to as J, the man is of low intelligence and has been held in hospital under the Mental Health Act since being convicted of manslaughter in 1989. He was said to have become very distressed and agitated when limited publicity was given to his case last year. Lord Justice Keene, sitting with Mr Justice Roderick Evans and Mr Justice Cooke, said the court had power to depart from the principle of open court hearings if publicity would frustrate the administration of justice.

Embarrassment or distress resulting from publicity were not sufficient reason, but it was established law that no-one should suffer the risk of physical or mental harm in exercising his legal right of access to the courts.

The judges heard that the woman's naked body was found in her flat on the evening of August 29 1988. She had been manually strangled, stabbed in the chest and hit ten times over the head with a small cleaver.

Patrick Cosgrove QC, for J, said there was no scientific evidence to link him with the crime. The only evidence against him consisted of admissions he made to police - which were retracted within days.

The case has been referred back to the court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which investigates possible miscarriages of justice.

Defence lawyers are challenging the conduct and credibility of police officers who obtained confessions from J, knowing he was mentally deficient.