Joanna Dennehy admitted to the murders at the Old bailey (Cambridgeshire Police)
Joanna Dennehy admitted to the murders at the Old bailey (Cambridgeshire Police)

A woman has pleaded guilty to murdering three men who were found stabbed to death in ditches in Peterborough.

The bodies of John Chapman, 56, and Lukasz Slaboszewski, 31, both from Peterborough, were discovered in April at Thorney Dyke.

They were found just days after the body of 48-year-old Kevin Lee was found dumped in a ditch in Newborough. All had sustained multiple stab wounds.

Joanna Dennehy, 30, of Peterborough, pleaded guilty to murdering the three men and preventing the burial of their bodies.

She also admitted at the Old Bailey to the attempted murders of two other men, Robin Bereza and John Rogers.

Dennehy's guilty pleas appeared to take her barrister by surprise. Nigel Lickley QC told the court: "The course is not one I had anticipated. We ask for more time given what has just occurred."

Dennehy told Mr Justice Sweeney: "I've pleaded guilty, and that's that."

Her partner, the 7ft 3inches (2.2 metres) tall Gary Richards, also known as Gary Stretch, 57, denied two charges of attempted murder and helping Dennehy to dump the bodies.

Two other defendants had previously denied charges against them.

Leslie Layton, 36, of Bifield denied perverting the course of justice and preventing the lawful burial of a body in relation to Lee and Chapman.

Robert Moore, 55, of Peterborough, denied two counts of assisting an offender.

They will be tried in January.