Indie band guitarist admits killing 18-year-old student Bobbi-Anne McLeod
An indie band guitarist has admitted murdering an 18-year-old student who disappeared from a bus stop yards from her home in Plymouth.
Bobbi-Anne McLeod’s devastated family sobbed as Cody Ackland, 24, pleaded guilty at the city’s crown court, saving them from a traumatic trial.
Her disappearance sparked a desperate search in Plymouth’s Leigham suburb, led by her heartbroken boyfriend Louie Leach, 17, and mother Donna McLeod.
But when the petite student’s mobile phone and headphones were discovered, it dawned on them that something awful had happened.
Bobbi-Anne’s body was then found dumped in woods near the beach in Bovisand on November 23, following a tip-off to Devon and Cornwall Police.
Despite extensive work by the coroner, her cause of death is still not known.
Ackland’s guilty plea to the single count of murder now confirms her family’s worst fears – that she was deliberately killed by a stranger.
Appearing in court today, he spoke only to confirm his name, age and admit murdering the teenager between November 19 and 23 last year.
Ackland, from Southway, Plymouth, will be sentenced on May 19. He remains in custody.
No further details about Bobbi-Anne’s murder were mentioned in court today.
Locals in Plymouth have rallied round the student’s family and held a candlelit vigil at the spot where she was last seen alive.
Her visibly distressed mother attended and thanked the crowd for their love and support.
‘Thank you for doing everything to try and find her and bring our baby home,’ Ms McLeod said.
Ackland was the lead guitarist in Plymouth-based indie band Rakuda, who released their first EP in August last year.
The other members of Rakuda announced they would disband ‘with immediate effect’ in November, but weeks later said they would be taking a ‘short hiatus’ with a view to reforming this spring.
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