icScotland - 'Perfect holiday' before killing
icScotland logo
icScotland News Sport icHomes
Search icScotland for:
Today's UK news
News  UK  Today's UK news  Article

'Perfect holiday' before killing

19:05, Jun 18 2012

 

A mother who suffocated her young son and daughter in a Spanish hotel said she had given them a "perfect holiday" before killing them, a court has heard.

Lianne Smith, 45, has admitted smothering Rebecca Smith, five, and 11-month-old Daniel with a plastic bag at the Miramar Hotel in Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava in May 2010.

She went on trial at the Provincial Court in Girona, north-east Spain, so a jury can determine whether she is criminally responsible for the children's deaths.

Her defence is seeking an acquittal, claiming she was in a state of "psychiatric disturbance" and suffering insurmountable fear when the tragedy happened. If found guilty, she faces a total of 38 years in prison.

The killings took place shortly after her partner, Martin Smith, was arrested in Barcelona by Spanish police acting on a European Arrest Warrant.

The family had been living in Spain since 2007 after fleeing Lichfield, Staffordshire, after Lianne's eldest daughter by her first husband accused Mr Smith of sexually abusing her.

After Mr Smith was deported to the UK, Lianne became obsessed with the idea that British social services were in Spain to take her children away from her.

Lloret de Mar was where she and Martin Smith had gone when they first arrived from England, so she withdrew money and went there to hide with her children.

Giving evidence, Lianne refused to answer questions from the prosecution, as is her right under Spanish law. But the jury were shown a video of a statement she made to police the day after the children died, filmed in a room next to where the killings took place.

The court heard that after killing the children, Lianne tried to take her own life by cutting herself with razors, covering her head with a plastic bag, hanging herself with telephone cable and drowning in a bath.

 
Road verge management questioned
Tories look at limiting GP visits
PM launches anti-terror task force
Murder sparks anti-Muslim backlash
Davey demands EU emissions target
Well-wishers flock to pay respects
Fatal tiger attack failings probed
EDL demo ends without major trouble
Thousands run final marathon mile
48 rescued as boat runs aground
Father's hope for missing daughter
Nine-year-old boy admits burglary
Wall of flowers for slain soldier
Three arrested ahead of EDL march
Child abduction cases up by 81%
Travellers escape UK's cold spring
Two questioned over mid-air 'fight'
Tiger death zoo keeper 'broke rule'
Investigators probe jet emergency
Murder provokes backlash across UK
Top Top

Back Back

E-mail this article to a friend

Printable VersionPrintable version

 
News  UK  Today's UK news  Article
 


Copyright and Trade Mark Notice
© owned by or licensed to Scottish & Universal Newspapers Limited 2013.
icScotland™ is a trade mark of Scottish & Universal Newspapers Limited.
Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement before using this site.

 
Advertisements
 
Jobs in Scotland: