The Soho pub bomber has admitted killing Colchester mum-to-be Andrea Dykes and her friend John Light.

But at the Old Bailey on Thursday, prosecutors warned David Copeland's defence team they were unlikely to accept his pleas of guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

He admitted the manslaughter of Mrs Dykes, 27, of Tarragona Mews, Colchester, John Light, 32, of Mill Street, Colchester and Nik Moore of Suffolk, in London's Soho in April last year, but denied their murder.

Copeland, of Cove, Hampshire, also admitted three counts of causing an explosion with intent to endanger life at Brixton, south London, Brick Lane, east London, and Soho, central London, in successive weeks.

Nigel Sweeney QC, counsel for the prosecution, said their preliminary view was that the pleas of manslaughter were unacceptable.

Four months pregnant Mrs Dykes was out celebrating with her husband Julian and John Light, having asked Mr Light - who had been best man at their wedding - to be godfather to their baby when it was born.

Mr Dykes suffered serious injuries in the blast at the Admiral Duncan pub in Old Compton Street, Soho, but recovered and has returned to work.

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