A son today admitted beating his mother to death with a hammer.

Killer - Steve Dicker arrives at court earlier this year. Today, he confessed to the murder of his mother, Jean Dicker.

In court, Steve Dicker then apologised to his sister, Tracey Kinton, and her family, for murdering their mum, Jean.

Dicker, 35, of Harwich Road, Colchester, gave the statement from the dock at Basildon Crown Court.

He said: "I would like to apologise to my sister and her family for everything I have done over the past 20 months, and to my friends as well, and to the police.

"I did not tell the truth when I should have done and that's it, sir."

In August last year, Dicker joined his sister at a press conference, appealing for information about his mother's killer.

Mrs Dicker's body was discovered in the hallway of her bungalow, in Craigfield Avenue, Great Clacton, on January 29 last year.

A post-mortem examination revealed the former Colchester traffic warden had died from serious head injuries.

Peter Lodder, prosecuting, said: "Whatever happened in the period before the attack, it is quite clear that very shortly thereafter, this defendant had the presence of mind to conceal what had really happened and make it look like a burglary which had gone too far, and then set about disposing of his own clothing and other items belonging to his, by now dead, mother."

Dicker, who was remanded in custody, was told he would face life imprisonment and that the only decision for the judge would be how long he would have to serve before being considered for parole.

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Published Tuesday, December 21, 2004

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