A man arrested for the killing of Finnish student Sara Cameron intends to plead guilty to her murder and attempted rape, a court heard today.

Former soldier Michael Robinson, 29, was arrested in February after a four year police search for the blonde student's killer.

Sara's father Roy was in court as Robinson, unshaven and dressed in a biege sweatshirt, was led into the dock, speaking only to confirm his name to the judge.

Richard Copsey, mitigating, told David Hodson, the recorder of Newcastle, Robinson intended to plead guilty to charges of murder and attempted rape.

He said: "I can indicate to the court that Michael Robinson was minded to enter guilty pleas to both charges."

Judge Hodson said: "This case will be resolved by a plea of guilty. It is to be tried by a judge from the High Court.

"The case is provisionally listed for sentence on October 21. I can't see that there can be any suspicion of prejudice to the defendant by reporting what has happened in this court today."

Robinson, of Bay View Road, Newhaven, East Sussex was arrested in February following a four year hunt for Sara's killer.

Finnish-born Sara, 23, died in a field close to her home in Earsdon, North Tyneside, on the morning of Good Friday, April 21, 2000.

The Northumbria University sports management student had been out with friends in Newcastle the previous evening, celebrating winning a dream work placement at the Sydney Olympics.

The pretty blonde caught the last Metro home from Monument station in Newcastle city centre, then left Shiremoor Metro station intending to walk the rest of the way home to her Garden Terrace flat.

But she never arrived and neighbours found her body under a hedge early the next morning.