Father of children found dead in Spanish hotel charged with child rape

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/may/19/father-children-dead-spanish-hotel

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The father of two young British children found dead in a Spanish hotel room yesterday appeared in court in England today charged with a series of sexual assaults and child rape.

Martin Smith, 45, who is from North Shields, had been on the run from the British authorities for several years. He was arrested by police in Barcelona on 7 May.

Smith was extradited back to the UK yesterday and appeared at Carlisle magistrates court this morning charged with 13 sexual offences. He has been remanded in custody. It is understood Smith was told about the deaths of the children yesterday.

The children were named as Rebecca Smith, five, and her 11-month-old brother, Daniel. Their 43-year-old mother, Lianne, has been arrested by Spanish police on suspicion of murder. She and her daughter had been missing from the Staffordshire area since December 2007.

The unrelated charges against Martin Smith include rape of a child under 16, gross indecency with a girl under 16, indecent assault of a girl under 16, and attempted rape of a girl under 16.

The alleged attacks took place between 30 April 1995 and 29 April 2005. A Cumbria police spokesman said: "Martin Smith, 45, was brought back to the UK yesterday and appeared at Carlisle magistrates court this morning to face 13 charges of sexual offences and for failing to answer police bail. An application was made in court for him to be remanded in custody.

"During the court hearing it was disclosed that Spanish police have informed Cumbria constabulary that Martin Smith's wife, 43-year-old Lianne Smith, has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of his two children, Rebecca, five, and Daniel, 11 months, in Spain."

The bodies were found yesterday afternoon in a hotel room in Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava.

There were no signs of violence. Sources said police were searching rubbish bins near the hotel.

A Girona police spokesman said: "At around 3.53pm, the mossos de la comissaria de Blanes [local police] received a note from the local police of Lloret de Mar that the bodies of two minors had been found at a hotel. When the officers arrived at the scene they found two children inside a room at the hotel. The police have detained the mother of the minors to find out what happened."

A worker at the hotel said the two officers had brought the mother down from the room and sat with her in the reception area.

British holidaymakers laid floral tributes at the front of the hotel last night. One said: "RIP little ones. God has gained two angels."

Officers from the Catalan regional police force took over the investigation from the municipal police in Lloret de Mar.

The judge investigating the deaths has ordered police inquiries be carried out in secrecy.

The Foreign Office confirmed it was providing consular assistance to a British national.