Georgia Williams trial: Jamie Reynolds admits strangling teenage girl and dumping body

The 23-year-old man dumped Georgia Williams' body before going on the run, the court heard

Jamie Reynolds, 23, from Wellington in Shropshire, admitted the killing Georgia Williams in May, 2013 (PA)

A killer who strangled a 17-year-old girl before dumping her body in the North Wales countryside and fleeing to Scotland has admitted murder.

Jamie Reynolds, 22, of Avondale Road, Wellington, Shropshire, today pleaded guilty to the murder of Georgia Williams in May of this year.

Mr Reynolds, who had previously denied the charge, was at the centre of a nation-wide manhunt after killing Georgia in their home town and dumping her body in woodland near Wrexham.

The judge today warned Mr Reynolds that he faces the prospect of spending his whole life behind bars, adding that the "extreme" evidence of the case won't be revealed in full as it could cause the public "untold distress".

Reynolds, a shop worker, was arrested at a hotel in Glasgow on 29 May this year, three days after his victim was reported missing. Her body was found around 50 miles miles away from Wellington, off the Nant-y-Garth pass in North Wales.

Miss Williams, who was a member of the Air Training Corps and planned to join the RAF as a paramedic, is believed to have died on the day she was reported missing.

She had previously done some modelling work and it is believed she was killed after Mr Reynolds invited her to pose for a photo-shoot.

Before Reynolds was arrested, media reports claimed he had made advances via Facebook and other social media sites towards Georgia, a former head girl at Telford's Ercall Wood Technology College.

Friends said the A-level student, who was just 5ft 3ins and of slim build, had made it clear she was not interested in a relationship with Reynolds.

Among the materials that formed the case against Reynolds were examples of extreme pornography prosecutor David Crigman QC told Mr Justice Wilkie.

Mr Justice Wilkie remanded Reynolds in custody until December 19 pending further psychiatric reports. Reynolds is expected to be sentenced later this month.

Georgia's parents and her sister Scarlett were in court to see Reynolds admit his guilt.

In a statement issued on behalf of the family, her father Steve Williams, a detective constable with West Mercia Police, said: "The pain we feel is as raw now as it was when our beautiful Georgia was taken from us back in May.

"We will never ever be able to make any sense of what happened, or why it happened to a young woman as caring, kind and generous as our Georgia.

"Today's guilty plea gives us no satisfaction at all; we do not and will never understand the heartbreaking events of earlier this year that changed our lives for ever."

Superintendent Adrian McGee, who helped to oversee the murder inquiry, confirmed that Georgia was killed at Reynolds' home address.

Speaking outside the court, Mr McGee said: "It is important that Mr Reynolds pleaded guilty as this at least saves Georgia's family the further trauma of a full trial.

"We know the plea does nothing to ease their pain but hopefully it will help them begin to move forward with their lives once sentence is passed.

"The Williams family have been incredibly dignified and understanding throughout our investigation and I cannot praise them highly enough.

"This was a hugely challenging and unusual case for the police officers and staff involved and I'd like to thank everyone who has played a part in helping the investigation reach this point.

"I'd particularly like to thank all the witnesses who came forward with information to assist our investigation, while I'd also like to thank the media for their help in publicising our appeals and helping us find Georgia and return her to her family.

"At the present time we do not wish to make further comment until sentencing takes place later in the month."

Additional reporting by the Press Association