A 25-YEAR-OLD man has today admitted murdering his girlfriend in the flat they shared.

Poppy Devey-Waterhouse, 24, was repeatedly stabbed by Joe Atkinson in the block of flats in Leeds, West Yorks, on December 14 last year.

Medics rushed to the property after the alarm was raised but it was already too late.

Atkinson was arrested and charged with murder days later. He prolonged the agony of her parents Rupert and Julie by pleading not guilty at his first court appearance in January.

He later pleaded guilty to murdering Miss Devey-Waterhouse in a short hearing at Leeds Crown Court. Her family wept in tears as they watched Atkinson dramatically change his plea to guilty on Friday morning.

Dressed in a blue, crew-necked jumper, the defendant spoke only to confirm his name and to enter his guilty plea to the single charge, watched by many members of his own family.

Atkinson, of Leeds, was remanded in custody by the judge, Mr Justice Lavender, who told him he will be sentenced next week, on April 12.

Straight-A student Poppy met Atkinson at Nottingham University, where they graduated with first-class honours.

After completing a masters in statistics Poppy moved in with him in late 2017.

She got a job as a trading analyst with bookies William Hill, where she excelled. Last year the pair trekked around Europe.

In 2017 they visited North and South America on a trip that Poppy said would “make or break them”.

She posted dozens of photos, writing on their return: “Six months survived and still smiling.”

Younger brother Zebedee plans to run the Leeds Half Marathon on May 12 in memory of his sister.