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Jennifer Mills-Westley's family face beheading killer in Tenerife court Jennifer Mills-Westley's family face beheading killer in Tenerife court
(35 minutes later)
The family of a woman who was decapitated in Tenerife have come face to face with her alleged killer in a Spanish court.The family of a woman who was decapitated in Tenerife have come face to face with her alleged killer in a Spanish court.
Jennifer Mills-Westley, 60, was repeatedly stabbed while shopping in the popular resort of Los Cristianos in the Canary Islands on 13 May 2011.Jennifer Mills-Westley, 60, was repeatedly stabbed while shopping in the popular resort of Los Cristianos in the Canary Islands on 13 May 2011.
Her daughters, Sarah Mears, 43, and Samantha Gomes, 39, were at the provincial court in Santa Cruz on Monday for the first day of the trial of Deyan Deyanov.Her daughters, Sarah Mears, 43, and Samantha Gomes, 39, were at the provincial court in Santa Cruz on Monday for the first day of the trial of Deyan Deyanov.
Deyanov, 29, who is Bulgarian, denied murdering the grandmother of five inside a shop on Avenida Juan Carlos I.Deyanov, 29, who is Bulgarian, denied murdering the grandmother of five inside a shop on Avenida Juan Carlos I.
As the jury was shown "tough" CCTV footage of the attack, Gomes covered her mouth in horror and stared into the distance.As the jury was shown "tough" CCTV footage of the attack, Gomes covered her mouth in horror and stared into the distance.
Giving evidence later, Mears said: "All I want to see is justice done for my mum today."Giving evidence later, Mears said: "All I want to see is justice done for my mum today."
Mears said in the months before the attack, Mills-Westley had become worried about safety on the island. "It was nothing specific but she was increasingly concerned that Tenerife was not as safe as when we used to visit 30 years ago," she said. Mears said in the months before the attack Mills-Westley had become worried about safety on the island. "It was nothing specific but she was increasingly concerned that Tenerife was not as safe as when we used to visit 30 years ago," she said.
Mears, who lives in Norwich, and Gomes, from the Midi-Pyrenees region of France, looked visibly shaken at the trial.Mears, who lives in Norwich, and Gomes, from the Midi-Pyrenees region of France, looked visibly shaken at the trial.
Francisco Beltran, defending, told the jury his client was in "total disagreement" with the murder charge. "He has committed no crime, and it goes without saying that he has not committed the crime of murder," Beltran said.Francisco Beltran, defending, told the jury his client was in "total disagreement" with the murder charge. "He has committed no crime, and it goes without saying that he has not committed the crime of murder," Beltran said.
He asked the jury of nine to see his client as a "sick man" who had been living in the street without a diagnosis or treatment for his acute schizophrenia.He asked the jury of nine to see his client as a "sick man" who had been living in the street without a diagnosis or treatment for his acute schizophrenia.
Answering questions in Bulgarian through an interpreter, Deyanov said he had been haunted by voices telling him how to act. He claimed they were telling him he was "an angel of Jesus Christ who is going to create a new Jerusalem". "They direct how I act; sometimes they say kill, fight, hit, pray," he added.Answering questions in Bulgarian through an interpreter, Deyanov said he had been haunted by voices telling him how to act. He claimed they were telling him he was "an angel of Jesus Christ who is going to create a new Jerusalem". "They direct how I act; sometimes they say kill, fight, hit, pray," he added.
After watching CCTV footage of the attack, Deyanov said it was "a montage, a film" and claimed he did not recognise himself in the images. He claimed he had been using crack cocaine and LSD before his arrest and had no memory of living in Tenerife.After watching CCTV footage of the attack, Deyanov said it was "a montage, a film" and claimed he did not recognise himself in the images. He claimed he had been using crack cocaine and LSD before his arrest and had no memory of living in Tenerife.
Asked if he knew he was in Tenerife after being brought there from a psychiatric unit in Seville on the Spanish mainland, Deyanov said: "I have just found out."Asked if he knew he was in Tenerife after being brought there from a psychiatric unit in Seville on the Spanish mainland, Deyanov said: "I have just found out."
He also denied he had lived in Wales, where he was sectioned in 2010 under the Mental Health Act at Glan Clwyd hospital.He also denied he had lived in Wales, where he was sectioned in 2010 under the Mental Health Act at Glan Clwyd hospital.
The trial continues.The trial continues.