Man admits to murdering Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24, in Leeds flat
Joe Atkinson appeared at Leeds Crown Court accused of murdering maths graduate Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24, in December last year.
Friday 5 April 2019 14:20, UK
A 25-year-old man has pleaded guilty to the murder of a young woman at a block of flats in Leeds.
Joe Atkinson appeared at Leeds Crown Court accused of murdering maths graduate Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24, on 14 December last year.
Emergency services were called to flat at The Avenue "in relation to an assault by stabbing", a coroner heard in January.
Paramedics were unable to save Ms Devey Waterhouse and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem concluded that she died from "head and neck trauma".
Atkinson pleaded guilty to her murder in a short hearing in a packed courtroom on Friday.
He spoke only to confirm his name and to enter his guilty plea to the single charge, watched by members of the victim's family as well as his own.
A number of people in court were in tears.
Ms Devey Waterhouse, who was originally from Frome in Somerset, worked as an analyst for William Hill.
She is believed to have been in a relationship with Atkinson and living together in the flat. The couple are said to have met while studying at Nottingham University.
Atkinson was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 12 April.