I think the pig was the only prize, beyond the satisfaction.

I agree entirely about the newspaper's phrasing. The man's case is sad, but the woman has had a very nasty experience, and "admitted", as the paper's angle on things, feels like a telling choice of phrase. Heaven forfend, she said hello! Why not something neutral like "stated" or "described"? There's nothing in her later-quoted statement that implies she feels responsible, so why imply it, except that assuming the woman is responsible is standard procedure.