Kayleigh Haywood murder: Schoolgirl's killer offers no evidence

Kayleigh Haywood was raped and murdered by Stephen Beadman

A man who has admitted raping and murdering a 15-year-old schoolgirl has opted not to give evidence over a charge of false imprisonment.

Landscape gardener Stephen Beadman, 29, pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of Kayleigh Haywood in April.

But he and neighbour Luke Harlow, 28, are on trial after denying falsely imprisoning her at Harlow's home in Leicestershire.

Harlow engaged in sexual activity with Kayleigh before Beadman killed her.

The charges

Stephen Beadman (second left) and Luke Harlow (right) are on trial at Nottingham Crown Court accused of falsely imprisoning Kayleigh

Stephen Beadman, 29, of George Avenue, Ibstock, Leicestershire

• Admits raping Kayleigh

• Admits murdering Kayleigh

• Denies falsely imprisoning her

Luke Harlow, 28, also of George Avenue, Ibstock, Leicestershire

• Admits meeting a child (Kayleigh) following sexual grooming

• Admits two counts of sexual activity with a child (Kayleigh)

• Admits attempting to meet two other children (both 15-year-old girls) following sexual grooming

• Denies falsely imprisoning Kayleigh

The pair, both of George Avenue, Ibstock, are accused of keeping Kayleigh prisoner between about 21:00 BST on 14 November and 03:00 on 15 November.

The jury of six men and five women at Nottingham Crown Court was told Beadman had been advised by his barrister that they may "draw such inferences as appear proper" in relation to his failure to give evidence.

On Monday, Harlow denied Beadman's claim that he tried to rape Kayleigh in her sleep and denied punching Beadman.

Harlow also denied that Kayleigh "escaped" from the property after being woken up by the pair rowing and informed of what the row was about.

Harlow told the court he had gone to sleep on a mattress in his lounge before he woke to find Kayleigh gone.

Kayleigh Haywood, from Measham in Leicestershire, was found dead on 18 November 2015

In a police interview read to the court last week, Beadman told detectives he "switched" after drinking shots, before attacking Kayleigh with a brick.

The trial has heard Beadman raped Kayleigh in a car park after she "escaped" from Harlow's home. Beadman then killed the schoolgirl, from Measham, Leicestershire.

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdicts on Thursday.

The trial continues.