An attention seeking hoaxer posed as missing teenager Amanda Dowler, a court has heard.

Lianne Newman, 21, has pleaded guilty to five charges of making phone calls to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety.

Cheltenham magistrates' court heard Ms Newman called police, Amanda's school and her father in the month following her disappearance last March.

Ms Newman, of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, also went to a hospital and claimed she was a missing schoolgirl from Walton-on-Thames.

Unknown man

Prosecuting, Delia Thornton told the court the calls started on 26 March, five days after 13-year-old Amanda, also known as Milly, disappeared as she walked home from school.

That evening Sussex police received three calls from a woman claiming to be Milly and saying that she had been taken by force by an unknown man.

Two days later a call was made to Surrey police by a woman again claiming to be the teenager.

On 19 April someone called Heathside School in Weybridge, Surrey, where Milly had been a pupil.

The call was put through to Milly's form tutor and the caller continued to say she was the missing girl.

Finally, later the same day, three calls were made to the Dowler family home by someone claiming to be Amanda.

Psychiatric assessment

The first two were answered by her father, Bob Dowler, and the last by a police family liaison officer.

Ms Newman was arrested four days later when police discovered all the calls had been made from her mobile phone, but in interviews she denied responsibility.

Defending, Conrad Gadd told the court that two or three years ago she had undergone a psychiatric assessment.

He said: "She was diagnosed at that stage with a predilection for seeking attention.

"It would seem that that problem is the motive and background to these particular telephone calls."

The case was adjourned until 24 February for pre-sentence and psychiatric reports to be prepared.

Ms Newman was released on unconditional bail.