Levi Bellfield confesses to Lin and Megan Russell murders, lawyer says
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Milly Dowler’s killer Levi Bellfield has signed a fresh confession to the murders of Lin Russell and her daughter Megan, a lawyer has said.
Michael Stone is currently serving three life sentences for the murders of Ms Russell, 45, and her six-year-old daughter, who were found bludgeoned to death in Chillenden, Kent, in July 1996.
Ms Russell’s other daughter, Josie, then nine, suffered severe head injuries in the attack and the family’s dog, Lucy, was killed.
Stone has always protested his innocence over the attacks.
Last year, Bellfield claimed responsibility for the murders, before later retracting his statement.
The police need to respond and investigate these crimes afresh, to affect closure for these families
However, Stone’s solicitor, Paul Bacon, told the PA news agency that Bellfield has written and signed a fresh confession to the murders.
“It must have taken some courage and considerable soul-searching by Levi Bellfield to have written and signed this confession,” he said.
“It will, hopefully, bring closure to the families involved.
“Now, the police need to respond and investigate these crimes afresh, to affect closure for these families.”
Bellfield’s solicitor Theresa Clark told the BBC that her client “needs to take responsibility”.
She said that he made the confession after engaging with prison psychologists.
“At the end of the day, the instruction from my client is clear,” she told the BBC.
“He’s adamant that he did it.
“My client says ‘I did it, I need to take responsibility for what I’ve done’.”
It is understood the alleged confession has been referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).
Kent Police referred the PA news agency to a previous statement made by the force, where it said its position on Stone’s conviction remains unchanged.
Bellfield is thought to be the only criminal in UK legal history to be serving two whole-life orders.
He was given a whole life term for murdering Marsha McDonnell, 19, in 2003, murdering Amelie Delagrange, 22, and trying to murder Kate Sheedy, 18, in 2004.
He was already serving his sentence when he went on trial for killing schoolgirl Milly, who was snatched from the street walking home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002.
Bellfield was found guilty of abducting and killing the 13-year-old following a trial at the Old Bailey in 2011.
