Rapist admits murdering former partner and her new boyfriend

Marcus Osbourne pleaded guilty to two counts of murder when he appeared for a brief hearing at Leeds Crown Court

Katie Higton and Steven Harnett were murdered at her house in Huddersfield (PA Media)

A man has admitted murdering his former partner and her new boyfriend.

A judge told Marcus Osbourne that he killed Katie Higton and Steven Harnett “in circumstances in which you planned the attacks and you executed them over a period of several hours”.

Ms Higton, 27, and Mr Harnett, 25, were found dead at her house in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in May.

Osbourne, 34, of Harpe Inge, Dalton, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder when he appeared for a brief hearing at Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday.

He also admitted the false imprisonment and rape of another woman.

Following her death, tributes flooded in for Ms Higton who was described as an “amazing mum” and a “great nurse carer for the mentally ill”. Friends of Mr Harnett said that he had a “heart of gold” and had been a devoted father.

Judge Guy Kearl KC, the Recorder of Leeds, remanded Osbourne in custody and said he will be sentenced on October 4.

Judge Kearl told Osbourne: “You have pleaded guilty to the murder of two people – your former partner Katie Higton and her subsequent partner Steven Harnett – in circumstances in which you planned the attacks and you executed them over a period of several hours on May 15 of this year.”

He told the defendant he faces an inevitable life sentence for the murders and the judge in October will have to determine the minimum term he must serve before he is considered for parole.

Osborne stood in the glass-fronted dock surrounded by security guards wearing a grey T-shirt and light-coloured trousers.

He spoke to give his name and date of birth as well as to enter guilty pleas to all four counts he faced.

Jonathan Sandiford KC, prosecuting, said time was needed so pathology, toxicology and other forensic reports could be completed before sentencing could take place.

John Elvidge KC, defending, said a further assessment of his client was also needed.

West Yorkshire Police said officers were called to Ms Higton’s address at 9.53am on Monday May 15 after paramedics found two people with multiple injuries believed to have been inflicted by a bladed weapon.

They were confirmed to have died at the scene.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it had received a mandatory referral and was assessing the situation.

A spokesman said at the time that this was due to the fact officers had contact with both victims and Osbourne in the days prior to this tragic incident.

Following her death, Ms Higton’s family and friends paid tribute to her as “the best mum” and said the family was “absolutely devastated” as they placed flowers on behalf of her two eldest children at the scene.

Her former brother-in-law, who asked not to be named, said his brother had been in a relationship with mother-of-four Ms Higton for seven years and was the father of her two eldest children, daughters aged nine and 10.

He told the PA news agency the children “were in the property when the incident took place”.

He described Ms Higton as “bubbly, outgoing, fun” and “a great mum”.