Levi Bellfield’s confession to two murders is feared to be a sick joke, a source claims.
He gave a statement admitting killing Lin and Megan Russell but now allegedly denies it.
The source said the serial killer’s wind-up has caused “heartbreak and anguish”.
Bellfield – whose murder victims include teenager Milly Dowler – had given a statement in which he admitted killing Lin, 45, daughter Megan, six, and attempting to kill her sister Josie, nine.
But he has allegedly retracted it and now denies the 1996 murders in Chillenden, Kent, sources say.
He has reportedly bragged his four-page confession was a ploy to “mess” with Michael Stone, who is serving life for the murders but has always denied guilt.
The source said: “Bellfield is a narcissist who loves the limelight – he’s now saying he just wanted to mess with Stone’s legal team.
“He doesn’t appreciate the absolute heartbreak and anguish he heaps on the Russell family every time he publicly speaks about the crime.”
Insiders say Bellfield is even claiming to have written a formal letter to Kent Police to distance himself from the crime.
Bellfield, 53, gave a detailed admission to Stone’s solicitor Paul Bacon last month saying that he was behind the countryside killings.
Stone, 61, hoped the unsigned document would prove he had been the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
The Criminal Case Review Commission has been looking at the convictions – at Stone’s request.
But the supposed U-turn by Bellfield – already serving life for the deaths of Milly, 13, Amelie Delagrange, 22, and 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell – means he may now refuse to help the CCRC.
Ex-Chief Supt Kevin Moore led a review into the hunt for Bellfield after he murdered Milly and fears he may now be hogging the limelight.
Mr Moore, 61, said: “People like him aren’t normal. They love the limelight, the bravado. You have to ask if this is an opportunity to be in the headlines.
“Yes it’s right and proper that it’s looked into, but I would very much doubt the validity of his admission.”
The former Sussex police chief was immediately sceptical about Bellfield’s claim to be the killer.
He explained: “You have to look at the circumstances. Bellfield’s other murders featured a sole female victim. The modus operandi for the murders of Lin Russell and her daughter is a whole different ball game.
"The others involved the abduction of young women from the streets in busy areas, in cities, towns.
“Chillenden was out in the country. Stone had knowledge of that area, I can’t see how Bellfield had knowledge of that area. I don’t know why Bellfield would confess now – he’s serving a whole life sentence so he’s not going to get a reduction in his sentence.”
Bellfield’s supposed confession came in a four-page statement.
He said he wore yellow marigold washing up gloves, had taken a hair scrunchie as a souvenir, killed the family dog after it bit him and had to call in Clacket Lane services on the M25 to wash off blood. The statement said: “My first intention was to just attack Lin... the situation just got out of control.”
It went on to detail how he said he killed Lin and Megan and left Josie for dead with appalling injuries.
He said he returned home to Twickenham, South West London – the patch where he would carry out a triple murder spree – went to work as a bouncer and, next day, threw the murder weapon into the Thames.
Bellfield, now known as Yusuf Rahim after converting to Islam, wrote: “Something like this has never happened, in the sense I’ve committed a crime and another person has been arrested.
“I apologise to Stone and the Russell family for my heinous acts.”
The document was sent to the CCRC, which has the power to order retrials. Stone always denied responsibility.
He was found guilty in 1998 but the convictions were later quashed before he was found guilty at a retrial in 2001.
The CCRC said: “We have received two unsigned documents from Mr Stone’s representatives.
“These will be looked at in detail. Mr Stone applied to the CCRC in 2017 for the second time to have his case re-examined. The CCRC has carried out extensive investigations on information and materials supplied by Mr Stone’s representatives.
"Once the review is complete, the CCRC will determine whether there is a real possibility the Court of Appeal will quash Mr Stone’s conviction.”
Det Chief Supt Paul Fotheringham, of Kent Police, said: “Following two trials at which Stone was found guilty by a jury, and an appeal to the High Court, Michael Stone remains convicted of the murders.
“The CCRC has had access to all forensic evidence, documentation and exhibits, the review by Hampshire Police, details of the two trials and appeals to the High Court.”
