Boyfriend admits to British murder

LONDON - A British man who made a tearful nationwide television appeal after he reported that his girlfriend had vanished on Valentine's Day admitted today to her murder.

Paul Dyson pleaded guilty at Hull Crown Court to murdering Jobcentre worker Joanne Nelson, 22, having admitted in May that he unlawfully killed her.

The disappearance of Nelson prompted a massive police search, but her body was not found until 5 weeks later in woodland in north Yorkshire, miles from her Hull home.

When Dyson appealed for information about Nelson, he said the pair had exchanged Valentine's Day cards and a kiss. But detectives believe Nelson was already dead.

The police officer who led the hunt for her killer told reporters outside the court that Dyson had behaved in a cold and calculating manner.

"I think Dyson's behaviour throughout all this has been thoroughly despicable," Detective Superintendent Ray Higgins said.

"He built the family's hopes up for a period of the full week from reporting her missing on the Monday right through to the Friday when he was arrested."

He said Dyson had given comfort to Nelson's family despite knowing there was no hope she would be found alive.

"He knew he'd killed their daughter and he knew that he'd dumped her body."

Dyson will be sentenced tomorrow.

- REUTERS