Judges in Utrecht on Monday began hearing evidence in the trial of Michael P, who is charged with the rape and murder of young Utrecht woman Anne Faber last year.

Two days have been set aside for the trial of P,  who had previous convictions for violent sex crimes, and who in January reportedly made a full confession to investigators.

Anne disappeared on September 29 after going out for a bike ride. Her body was found two weeks later at a spot identified by P.

P told the court on Monday that he had killed Anne to stop her shouting for help and had been planning to ‘let her go’ after raping her, website Nu.nl reported.

P was jailed for 11 years in 2012 for the brutal rape of two teenage girls and for a string of robberies but had not been sent to a psychiatric prison for treatment because he had refused to cooperate with a psychiatric assessment prior to his trial.

Legislation making it possible to sentence convicted criminals to tbs – or psychiatric prison – even if they have not been properly assessed, is currently pending in the upper house of parliament.

Anne’s father Wim has been highly critical of the judge who released P from jail early – which is standard in the Netherlands. P was staying at a special clinic where he was being ‘resocialised’ when he attacked and murdered Anne.