Michael Hills was warned by the judge to expect a jail term

Michael Hills, 59, from Waterloo, south London, admitted two counts of obtaining property by deception at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday.

He promised to help the families of Lucie Blackman, who went missing in Toyko in 2000, and of Paul Winder who disappeared the same year while trekking in Latin America.

The remains of Miss Blackman, 21, from Sevenoaks in Kent, were found in a cave near Tokyo in 2001.

Mr Winder, of Great Baddow, Essex, returned safely to the UK after being held captive in Columbia by guerrillas.

Hills said he had contacts in the "criminal underworld" in Panama and Japan that could help secure the release of both Britons, taking �15,000 from the Blackmans and �5,000 from the Winders.

He infiltrated my life with completely false promises and lies - it is just despicable really Tim Blackman

He told Tim Blackman he could produce a lock of his daughter's hair to prove she was still alive and said she was to be released on a given time and date.

Mr Blackman, 49, flew out to Japan to meet her, but she never appeared.

Japanese property developer Joji Obara is standing trial accused of killing Miss Blackman. He denies fatal assault, or rape resulting in death.

Mr Blackman said he was relieved Hills had pleaded guilty so he would not have to go through a full trial.

He said: "Hopefully, it may indicate some deal of remorse for what he did.

Lucie Blackman went missing in Japan in July 2000

"Part of me still wonders if he could have made a difference, but the overwhelming feeling I have is of disgust and abomination that he did not turn around a few days later and say that he couldn't do anything to help.

"He infiltrated my life with completely false promises and lies - it is just despicable really."

He added: "One could argue that if Lucie had turned up alive and well and everything was hunky-dory the crime would not have been so bad but that is the risk he took. He should be punished as severely as possible."

Hills was warned by the judge to expect a jail term when he is sentenced next month.

One of the officers involved in the investigation into Hills, DC Brendan Cox, of Essex Police, called the crime "callous" and said none of the missing money had been returned.