A man charged with wasting police time after making hoax calls to officers investigating the disappearance of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman has admitted wasting police time.

Howard Youd, 45, from Hope near Wrexham, contacted Cambridgeshire Police three times.

I am the inquiry. I am the abductor

Howard Youd

During the calls, he asked to speak to the officer in charge of the hunt.

When told the officer, was too busy to speak to him, Youd said: "I am the inquiry. I am the abductor."

Magistrates at Wrexham heard Youd, 45, made the telephone calls on 15 August - 11 days after the girls went missing - from a phone box in Wrexham town centre.

He was traced after an officer from the Cambridge force traced where the calls had come from and studied CCTV footage.

The disappearance of the 10-year-olds sparked one of Britain's biggest manhunts, involving more than 400 officers from 21 forces.

During the investigation, detectives received more than 14,000 calls from the public.

Drinking heavily

The girls' bodies were discovered in remote fenland in Suffolk almost two weeks after they vanished.

School caretaker Ian Huntley, 28, from Soham, has been charged with their murders

His girlfriend Maxine Carr, 25, who is also from the town, has been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Youd, who arrived in court with his face hidden, told magistrates on Monday he accepted that what he had done was wrong.

His solicitor Mark Arden said his client had been drinking heavily in pubs for up to seven hours beforehand.

"What he's done is horrific. It's unforgiveable.

"The distress he's caused the families is unacceptable."

Youd had not remembered making the calls, although he admitted being interested in the case and in police work.

He was released on unconditional bail until 7 November for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.