Peterborough murders: Joanne Dennehy was mentally ill Published duration 23 January 2014

image copyright Cambridgeshire Police image caption Joanne Dennehy has admitted three murders and two attempted murders. She took this "selfie" image while on the run from police

Triple killer Joanne Dennehy has been diagnosed with three different personality disorders, a jury has heard.

Dennehy, 31, has admitted stabbing three men and dumping their bodies in ditches in Cambridgeshire last year.

Two men are on trial at Cambridge Crown Court, where they deny related charges.

The court has been told psychiatrists who assessed her found her to have psychopathic, anti-social and emotional instability disorders.

Lukasz Slaboszewski, 31, John Chapman, 56, and Kevin Lee, 48, were found dumped in ditches near Peterborough in March and April.

image copyright Cambs Police image caption Dennehy has already admitted killing three men in Cambridgeshire

Gary Stretch, real name Gary Richards, 47, of Riseholme, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, denies preventing the lawful burial of all three men and two counts of attempted murder in relation to attacks in Hereford.

Leslie Layton, 36, of Bifield, Orton Goldhay, denies perverting the course of justice and preventing the lawful burial of the bodies of Mr Chapman and Mr Lee.

The court heard when Dennehy was in police custody she told medical staff she was on anti-psychotic medication and that she suffered from a bipolar disorder for which she took medication.

She also claimed to suffer from epilepsy and depression and said she had a history of self-harming by cutting, the court was told.

image copyright Cambridgeshire Police image caption Joanna Dennehy used this knife to murder three men in the Peterborough area and attempt to kill two further men in Hereford

"Her emotional instability is so severe" said prosecutor Andrew Jackson.

He added the disorder involved traits that included superficial charm, a disregard for others, pathological lying and a capacity for showing no remorse, to exaggerate and lie.

A third man, Robert Moore, 55, of Belvoir Way, Peterborough has already pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and is awaiting sentence along with Dennehy.