Serial killer Levi Bellfield admits Milly Dowler murder

Killer Levi Bellfield had previously denied killing Milly Dowler. Picture: PA

Bellfield, who was given a whole-life prison sentence in June 2011 for killing the 13-year-old, made the admission during an investigation into whether he had an accomplice, police said. The force said it had arrested a man in his 40s on Wednesday before releasing him without charge.

Milly’s family said: “The effect of this information has been devastating for a family which has already had to endure so much.”

Milly was snatched from the street on her way from school to her home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002. Bellfield was found guilty of abducting and killing her at the Old Bailey. In February 2012 he lost a bid to challenge his conviction. Bellfield was already in jail for murdering Amelie Delagrange and Marsha McDonnell, and attempting to murder of Kate Sheedy, when tried for killing Milly.

The killer lived just 50 yards from where Milly vanished but was not a suspect until 2004.