A MAN has appeared in court to admit to the killing of a former Taunton School student, but has denied murder.

Valdo Calocane, 32, denied murdering Barnaby Webber in an attack in Nottingham in June, but pled guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of 'diminished responsibility.'

According to the Sentencing Council, the partial defence of diminished responsibility to murder relies on the ability to prove that "The offender’s ability to understand the nature of the conduct, form a rational judgment and/or exercise self-control was substantially impaired."

The prosecution are now set to review medical evidence before deciding whether to accept Colocane's pleas.

19-year-old Barnaby Webber was a student at the University of Nottingham when he was tragically killed by Colocane in a fatal stabbing while walking home from a night out in the early hours of June 13.

Calocane also killed Grace O'Malley-Kumar, 19, and Ian Coates, 65, in the stabbing spree - and has also denied their murder but admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility.

In a statement released following Barnaby's death, the Webber family said their loss was 'beyond devastating. They said: "Complete devastation is not enough to describe our pain and loss at the senseless murder of our son. At 19 he was just at the start of his journey into adulthood and was developing into a wonderful young man.

"As parents we are enormously proud of everything he achieved and all the plans he had made."