A MAN has been convicted of killing a law student whose battered and naked body was found floating in the River Ribble seven years ago.

Andrew Greenwood, aged 29, of Sephton Street, Lostock Hall, was found not guilty of the murder of Janet Morgatroyd but was convicted of manslaughter.

After the case, Janet's father, David Murgatroyd, a former promotions manager with Radcliffe Borough Football Club and ex chairman of Chorley Football Club, said: "I am obviously relieved and satisfied with the outcome. I am delighted for Janet so that she can now rest in peace after seven years."

During the three-week trial -- a re-trial after a jury was unable to reach a verdict last October -- Paul Reid, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that Greenwood, "a lonely and desperate man," murdered Janet after she laughed at him and spurned his advances.

The court heard how, after dragging 20-year-old Janet into bushes, he repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on her. He stripped off her clothes and dumped her body in the river at Preston.

No-one was charged with her death until three years later when Greenwood of Sephton Street, Lostock Hall, Preston, approached police and confessed.

But he later retracted his admissions and denied responsibility saying he had told detectives information he had "personalised" from newspaper articles and BBC TV's "Crimewatch" programme.

Unemployed Greenwood, told the court that he had no recollection of events after leaving the pub and waking up the next morning.

The case was adjourned for three weeks for the preparation of a psychiatric report.

The murder featured in newspaper articles and on local and national TV and Greenwood said that by one or two months after the murder he had convinced himself he was the killer.

He said he had been drinking very heavily that day and had blacked out.