LONDON: A female British serial killer yesterday admitted murdering three men and dumping their bodies in ditches. To the shock of her lawyer, 30-year-old Joanna Dennehy admitted she killed the men, whose bodies were found in March and April riddled with stab wounds. Her barrister Nigel Lickley told London’s Old Bailey court: “The course of the arraignment is not one we had anticipated.” Dennehy, who has a star tattooed under her eye, told the judge: “I’ve pleaded guilty, and that’s that.” The killer, who is from the city of Peterborough in eastern England, also admitted attempting to murder another two men. The bodies of Kevin Lee, 48, Lukasz Slaboszewski, 31, and John Chapman, 56, were found in ditches on the outskirts of Peterborough.
Bachelet wins first round
SANTIAGO: Socialist Mich-elle Bachelet handily won a first round of Chile’s presidential race on Sunday, but despite a crushing margin of victory still faces a run-off vote against conservative rival Evelyn Matthei. With 99 percent of the vote counted, Bachelet had nearly 47 percent against 25 percent for Matthei, Chile’s Electoral Board said. Bachelet failed to reach the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff, so a second round of balloting is set for December 15. Bachelet, Chile’s first woman president in 2006-2010, is eyeing a second term as leader of the South American nation with the highest per capita income.
Irish president to visit Britain
DUBLIN: President Michael D Higgins is to become the first Irish head of state to make a state visit to Britain in April, in another symbolic step forward for relations between the neighbouring countries. The president’s Aras an Uachtarain official residence confirmed Higgins had accepted an invitation for a three-day state visit. The 72-year-old poet is expected to stay at Windsor Castle, west of London, from April 8 to 10.
French hostage home from Nigeria
PARIS: A French engineer held hostage for 11 months by Islamist militants in Nigeria arrived home yesterday after a dramatic escape described as worthy of an action thriller. A plane carrying Francis Collomp, accompanied by France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, landed at a military airport outside Paris. The 63-year-old emerged from the plane looking extremely tired and drawn, but smiling. He was met by six relatives and Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. Collomp, who lost an estimated 40kg during his captivity but was reported to be in good spirits, was to undergo medical tests and counselling at the Val de Grace military hospital here.
Agencies
