Man admits killing teenage Laura

Laura Torn's body was found 11 days after she disappeared

A man has admitted killing 18-year-old Laura Torn whose body was found in a haystack 11 days after going missing.

Guy Beckett, 31, of Owston Ferry, North Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Hull Crown Court.

But prosecutors did not accept the plea on what was supposed to be the first day of a murder trial and the case was adjourned for another date to be fixed.

Miss Torn's body was found in Misson, Nottinghamshire, after she went missing after a night in a local pub.

Psychiatric investigation

Mr Beckett changed his plea after telling his defence team on Wednesday that he had killed the teenager, his barrister QC Simon Myerson revealed.

Mr Myerson told the judge that a psychiatrist had suggested that Mr Beckett "might perhaps be unable to admit what he had done for a psychiatric reason".

"The outcome of it was that Mr Beckett yesterday afternoon told his legal representatives that he had unlawfully killed Laura Torn," he added.

Laura's body was found in a Haystack miles away from her home

Mr Myerson said time was needed to assess whether there was a "psychiatric component" to Beckett's actions.

Adjourning the case to a date to be fixed before 13 May, Mr Justice Curtis said he would give the defence team time to conduct investigations.

The prosecution will then decide whether to accept his plea or proceed with a murder trial.

Mr Beckett also admitted a charge of arson in connection with a fire at the Red Lion pub in Owston Ferry on 25 April, two days before Miss Torn's strangled body was found.

She disappeared in the early hours of Sunday 27 April shortly after visiting the Crooked Billet pub in Owston Ferry with her family.