POLICE have welcomed the news a killer will be sentenced for the murder of transgender "hero" Amy Griffiths.

Detective Chief Inspector Carl Moore was speaking after Martin Saberi pleaded guilty to Ms Griffiths' murder on the day his trial was supposed to begin.

DCI Moore said: "This was an extremely violent attack and we are pleased to see the defendant plead guilty to both Amy’s murder and as well as a vicious attack in London."

55 year-old Saberi had initially pleaded not guilty at Worcester Crown Court in 2019, and covid-related delays meant he did not go to trial for nearly two years.

On February 15, however, he changed his mind, pleading guilty to murdering Amy Griffiths and section 18 wounding against another person.

He will be sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on March 11.

Saberi, of Brackley Close, Wallington, Surrey, murdered Ms Griffiths between January 11 and 14, 2019.

He was then arrested by police officers in Hackney on January 14.

When he first appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates Court that year, he refused to leave his jail cell to attend the hearing.

Ms Griffiths' body was discovered at her flat in Chalverton Court, Droitwich on January 14.

She had head and throat injuries and was declared dead at the scene.

Saberi's trial at Worcester Crown Court had had been due to start on February 15, but continued technical problems establishing a video-link meant there was a delay of more than four hours between the scheduled start at 10am and the actual plea at around 2.30pm.

At the time of her death, friends and neighbours paid tribute to Amy Griffiths, calling her a "hero" of the LGBT community and saying she was a joy to be around.

One friend said she "did not have a selfish bone in her body".