A 32-year-old man has admitted killing a parcel delivery driver who died as he tried to stop his van from being stolen in Leeds.

Mark Ross admitted the manslaughter of Claudiu-Carol Kondor when he appeared at Leeds Crown Court by video-link from prison on Friday, but he denied murder.

Ross, of Conference Road, Armley, Leeds, is due to go on trial for Mr Kondor’s murder on March 4 next year and was remanded in custody by Judge Richard Mansell KC.

Mr Kondor, 42, from Sheffield, was pronounced dead at the scene in Heights Drive, Wortley, on August 20 after his silver Ford Transit Cargo van was stolen in Alliance Street while he was making a delivery.

Ross appeared from Leeds Prison, sitting at a table and wearing a Nike sweatshirt for the 15-minute hearing.

The judge said a pre-trial review hearing would be held on February 7.

Mr Kondor is understood to have been delivering for Amazon at the time of the incident but was employed by a company called SP Transport Group, who described him as “more than just a colleague — he was a friend, a confidant and a valued member of our team”.

Two other people were arrested in connection with the incident.

A 24-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder was released on bail pending further inquiries and a woman, who was arrested at the same time on suspicion of assisting an offender, was released under investigation.