A teenager has pleaded guilty to the murder of a former Welsh guardsman, whose body was found on a Tyneside promenade on New Year's Day.

David Pallister, 18, from South Shields had originally denied murdering Richard Jones, 47, who was found battered to death in South Shields.

On Tuesday a jury at Newcastle Crown Court was told Pallister had "come to terms" with the mass of forensic evidence against him.

Pallister, of Whiteleas, South Shields, was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced in December.

Pallister's fingerprints were found at the scene

The court was told Pallister disturbed Mr Jones as he slept in a shelter on South Shields seafront in sub-zero temperatures.

The prosecution said the teenager may have had robbery or sexual intentions in mind when he confronted Mr Jones, who had chosen to live rough in the last few months of his life.

But he repeatedly kicked and stamped on Mr Jones' head, causing brain damage from which Mr Jones died.

Toby Hedworth, QC, prosecuting, said: "An examination of the scene, particularly because of the covering of snow in the area, helped the police after careful forensic examination to build a picture of how Mr Jones was attacked.

"At or about the time of the attack, Mr Jones had been subjected to a sexual assault."

Blood on boot

He said semen and a fingerprint were found which were later identified as Pallister's.

Mr Hedworth said scientists concluded there was a "one in a billion" chance of the DNA profile coming from someone other than Pallister or a close relative of his.

He said footprints found in snow were also found to match the soles of Pallister's trainer shoes and Mr Jones' blood was found on one of the lace loops.