Dungeon dad admits imprisoning daughter in cellar for 24yrs

London, Mar 16 (ANI): Dungeon dad Josef Fritzl has admitted to having caged his daughter Elisabeth in an underground cellar, and raping her for 24 years.

During his trial, which began today in St Poelten, Austria, the 73-year-old engineer also confessed to having fathered seven children with his daughter.

Charged with six separate crimes, Fritzl pleaded guilty to rape, false imprisonment, incest, and coercion.

He, however, denied murdering one of the seven children, who died shortly after being born and whose body he allegedly burnt in a stove.

He also denied a charge of slavery.

Before the trial began, Fritzl's lawyer, Rudolf Mayer, said that he "regrets his actions... and he is nervous," reports the Telegraph.

Fritzl's misdeed came to light last April when her eldest daughter, Kerstin, 19, became seriously ill and he took her to hospital, leading to questions which quickly unearthed his appalling crimes. (ANI)