A MAN has admitted bludgeoning a Bournemouth hotel receptionist to death while she worked a nightshift.

Stephen Cole pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Marta Vento at the Travelodge in Christchurch Road.

The 27-year-old's body was found in the hotel's foyer area at about 7.30am on December 9 last year.

Police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene but Miss Vento, originally from Valencia, Spain, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination revealed she died from multiple blunt force head injuries.

It is understood that Cole, 32, was arrested that morning after walking into Bournemouth police station to report the death and was detained under the Mental Health Act.

He was later charged with Miss Vento’s murder but today denied that charge and instead pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Winchester Crown Court.

This was accepted by prosecutors on the basis of ‘partial diminished responsibility.’

Prosecuting Simon Jones said: “The original indictment had one count of murder. Since the last hearing there has been a full and detailed report from (a doctor).

“The crown finds that the defendant has a partial diminished responsibility.

"Given all the circumstances in this case we have said to amend the indictment adding manslaughter as count two.”

Bespectacled Cole, who has short, dark hair and was wearing a black jumper in the dock, spoke only to confirm his name, plead not guilty to murder and plead guilty to the manslaughter charge.

A judge today remanded him in custody at Ravenswood House Hospital, a secure adult mental health unit in Fareham, Hampshire.

Judge Jane Miller QC told him: “You now need to be sentenced in respect to the offence of manslaughter to which you have pleaded guilty. I have fixed the sentence for the first of June.

“Until then you are remanded in custody.”

The court heard that 11 minutes of CCTV footage will be shown at the sentencing and impact statements from the victim’s family in Spain will be read out.

In a statement released at the time of Miss Vento’s death, a spokesman for Travelodge said: "We are deeply saddened to hear that a woman has died at Bournemouth Travelodge.

"Our thoughts and sincerest sympathy are with her family.”

Cole will be sentenced on June 1 at Winchester Crown Court.