Mother 'suffocated children with plastic bag' in Spanish hotel

The British woman accused of killing her two small children in Spain has allegedly said she feared they would be taken from her after her partner was arrested on charges of child rape.

Martin Anthony Smith, 45, a TV psychic from North Shields, was seized in Barcelona on May 7. He was extradited to Britain yesterday and appeared at Carlisle Magistrates Court today to face 13 charges.


His wife, Lianne Smith, is being held in Spain today, accused of killing their two children - Rebecca, aged five, and Daniel, 11 months. Their bodies were found in a hotel room in Lloret de Mar near Barcelona yesterday afternoon.
Lianne and daughter Rebecca went missing on December 7, 2007. Smith is believed to have fled the country with them at the same time. He failed to answer bail on the charges on January 21, 2008.

It is not clear where the couple went, or if they were together during the entire time Smith was on the run. Daniel was born during that time.

They resurfaced on May 7, when Smith was apprehended in Barcelona. On Saturday Lianne checked in to the Hotel Miramar in Lloret de Mar. Yesterday she was arrested after her children's bodies were found.

Lianne allegedly confessed to the killings in a note, fearing her children would be taken from her by Spanish authorities following her partner's arrest.

Hi,

Lianne Smith was seen as a strange child and then when she married a bus driver and lived in the same road as her parents who were also seen as strange and anti social.

The two children of the marriage were very much under the constant eye of Mother and grandparents when he husband moved out and Martin moved in in 1992.

That the daughter made allegations against Martin Smith leading to Lianne and Martin leaving the Country with their child and subsequently having another in Spain whilst on the run seems strange but perhaps understandable.

Lianne clearly saw the life of her two young children as fatally blighted by the loss of Martin and the trial ahead, whether in financial or emotional terms we will probably never know but suffice to say she has made two suicide attempts so far and has expressed the desire to join her two young children 'on the other side'.

We will never know if she acted from guilt that her elder daughter had been abused by Martin or guilt because she did not do enough to disprove her daughter's fabricated story - either way perhaps the death of the two children may have been seen as compassionate as it would seem her religious beliefs are a little strange as she wished to join her children 'On the other Side'!

This is not, on the information to hand, a case where I would favour a death penalty but that the individual themselves wishes to commit suicide I believe it is morally wrong to stop her.

Regards,
Greg_L-W.