Sabrina Kouider and Ouissem Medouni plead guilty to perverting course of justice over death of 21-year-old Sophie Lionnet

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A couple who deny killing a nanny have admitted perverting the course of justice by attempting to dispose of her body by burning it.

The charred remains of Sophie Lionnet, 21, were discovered in the garden at a house in Southfields, south-west London, on 20 September last year.

At first police were unable to identify the body but later confirmed it was that of Lionnet, of Wandsworth in south London, who was originally from Troyes in north-east France.

Sabrina Kouider, 34, and her partner, Ouissem Medouni, 40, of Wandsworth, deny murder.

They pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey on Friday to a second charge of perverting the course of justice by attempting to dispose of the body by burning.

Kouider appeared tearful as she sat in the dock. A French interpreter helped her to follow the hearing.

Medouni paused for a short time before entering a guilty plea to perverting the course of justice.

The five-week murder trial is due to start on 19 March.