Man admits head-on-beach murder

A teenager has admitted torturing and murdering a Lithuanian woman whose head and body parts were washed up on a beach in the east coast of Scotland.

Aleksandras Skirda, 19, also from Lithuania, pleaded guilty to killing Jolanta Bledaite in Angus in March.

He also admitted throwing a suitcase containing the 35-year-old's body into Arbroath harbour and withdrawing £1,400 using stolen bank cards.

Vitas Plytnykas, who denies murder and theft, will be tried in February.

Skirda is now expected to give evidence against Mr Plytnykas, 41.

But during a half-hour hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh Plytnykas claimed that Skirda was the guilty man.

Ms Bledaite's head was found in a plastic bag on Arbroath beach by two sisters, aged eight and 11, on 1 April.

Her severed hands were discovered nearby by police called to the scene.

The two men were arrested days later.

Skirda had admitted that on 29 March at a flat in Earlsdon House, Southesk Street, Brechin - where Ms Bledaite lived - he attacked her, tied her legs, arms and hands and taped her mouth and nose.

The charge goes on to describe how Ms Bledaite was hit repeatedly on the head and body and repeatedly hit with a knife or knives during demands that she reveal the PIN numbers to bank cards.

Finally, she was held down and smothered with a pillow.

Skirda admits that he severed her hands and head and threw them into the sea the following day and disposed of the rest of her body in a suitcase.

He also admitted that after the death he used stolen bank cards and PIN numbers to steal cash.

Plytnykas denies all the charges which Skirda has admitted.

He also denies clearing Ms Bledaite's possessions from her bedroom, setting fire to her papers and personal belongings and throwing knives into a river in Brechin.

He further denies throwing other personal possessions of the dead woman into dustbins in Forfar and Arbroath and pretending that Ms Bledaite had moved.

Defence QC Paul McBride entered his not guilty pleas and told the judge he wished to lodge a "special defence" incriminating Skirda.

Lord Uist told Skirda: "You have pleaded guilty to the crime of murder and must in due course be sentenced to detention - or as it will be by the time you are sentenced - imprisonment for life."

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