Riyadh: A British schoolboy has admitted killing a Saudi student by stabbing 16 times in her body including neck, head and arms on 17 June 2014.

PhD student Nahid Almanea was walking on a footpath in the Salary Brook area of Colchester when she was stabbed in head and various other parts of her body, reported Arabic daily Sabq.

The boy, who was 16 at the time and cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty on the basis of diminished responsibility at the Old Bailey.

The defendant, who is now seventeen years old, is also guilty to the manslaughter of James Attfield, 33, by stabbing him 102 times in the same area while walking along a riverside path on March 29, 2014.

Almanea was found lying in a pool of blood just six months after she had moved to the UK to study at the University of Essex. She was wearing a dark blue abaya (traditional Saudi veil), as well as a multi-coloured hijab (scarf).

Ms Almanea was taking a language course at Essex University ahead of starting a life sciences PhD.

Paramedics tried to save her but she died on the spot from head and body injuries.

Thousands had turned out for Ms Almanea's funeral after her body was flown back to Saudi Arabia for funeral procession.