A 21-year-old man has admitted killing a mum-of-two after he met her on a bus in Redbridge six months ago.

Valentin Lazar, 21, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to the murder of 45-year-old Maria Rawlings.

Ms Rawlings had suffered multiple injures but there was no evidence of sexual assault.

She was attacked shortly after visiting hospital following a fall.

The victim was followed off a bus in Chadwell Heath and targeted by Lazar because she was a "vulnerable woman alone at night", it was alleged.

At an earlier hearing, the court heard how Ms Rawlings was found dead at about 2.30pm on May 4 in the Little Heath area.

She had suffered numerous injuries including compression to the chest and a suspected stab wound.

Police tracked the victim’s movements from CCTV retrieved from the night before.

Having visited an Accident and Emergency department, Ms Rawlings was with Mr Lazar in the Little Heath area at around 11.15pm.

In footage, he appeared to guide her towards the area where her body was found the next day.

Thirty minutes later he emerged from the undergrowth alone carrying her handbag, the court had heard.

A baseball cap with the defendant’s DNA on it was left near to the body.

On his arrest, officers found clothes matching those of the attacker with traces of blood on them.

The defendant entered his guilty plea with the assistance of a Romanian interpreter.

The court was told that he admitted murder but denied he intended to kill Ms Rawlings or that he had a knife.

Remanding the defendant into custody, Judge Peter Rook QC said: “You have pleaded guilty to murder in a case of the utmost seriousness.

“There is only one sentence the court can pass and that is one of life imprisonment. A judge will decide the minimum that you must serve.”

The case was adjourned until January 10 next year.