Man, 27, admits murdering his 75-year-old grandfather last year at Measham home

Police were called to the address in Measham – which the two men shared – just before 5pm on Wednesday 1 December last year by East Midlands Ambulance Service Credit: BPM Media

A 27-year-old man has pleaded guilty to murdering his own grandfather last year.

Benjamin Dunlop had initially pleaded not guilty to murdering 75-year-old Ronald Dunlop but admitted manslaughter instead.

However, the young man appeared at Leicester Crown Court today by video link from prison today to have the charge put to him once again.

This time, when the court clerk asked him how he pleaded to the charge of murdering Mr Dunlop in Hart Drive in Measham, near Coalville, on Wednesday 1 December, he entered a guilty plea.

He was also charged with criminal damage in relation to the death of a cat. He pleaded guilty to this offence at a previous hearing.

Judge Timothy Spencer KC heard from prosecutor Vanessa Marshall KC that there were documents that needed to be prepared before sentencing could take place.

The judge adjourned the case for sentencing, which is scheduled to take place at the same court on Friday 16 December.

Earlier this year, after Dunlop had entered his not-guilty plea to murder, Judge Spencer had ordered there to be a murder trial.

At the end of today's hearing, the judge told the defendant he would be saving people from having to go through such a trial by pleading guilty.

The judge told Dunlop he would take the guilty plea into consideration when working out the suitable sentence.

However, he warned the defendant he would have to sentence him to life in prison.No bail application was made during the short hearing this morning.

Senior Investigating Officer for the case, Detective Chief Inspector Nicole Main from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: "The guilty plea has saved the necessity for a lengthy trial and I hope this now allows the family to move forwards in their grieving process following the shock of the loss of Ronald."