Children’s deaths in Spain referred to British police watchdog
The bodies of Rebecca Smith, five, and her brother Daniel, aged 11 months, were found in the Costa Brava resort of Lloret de Mar on Tuesday.
Their mother, Lianne Smith, 43, was arrested by Spanish police the same day in connection with the deaths.
Their father, Martin Smith, an alleged paedophile, appeared in court in Carlisle yesterday charged with 13 child sex offences said to have been committed in the Cumbria area between 1995 and 2005.
The 45-year-old, originally from North Shields, had been one of Britain’s most wanted men until his arrest by Spanish police earlier this month.
The family previously lived in Cumbria and then Staffordshire, from where the couple and Rebecca had been reported missing in December 2007.
The police forces for both counties have referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), the watchdog said.
A spokesman said: “Cumbria Constabulary has made a voluntary referral on behalf of themselves and Staffordshire Police in relation to matters involving Martin Smith, his partner Lianne and daughter Rebecca.
“The IPCC is assessing the information contained in the referral to determine whether it needs to conduct an investigation.”
The IPCC will consider the contact both forces had with the family when they lived in Britain.
Spanish police are conducting an investigation into the death of the two children, who according to some reports were suffocated with a plastic bag.
Lianne Smith reportedly said she did not know how she would cope when her partner was arrested.
After he was taken into custody, she told a publicist: “Martin’s gone now and I’ve been left looking after both of the children. I really don’t know how I’ll cope.”
According to the Daily Mail, she added: “I’m not sure what my plans are now. I’m trying to get my head together and work out what to do.”
It was also reported that Lianne Smith, who is believed to have run a nursery in Barcelona, was worried the Spanish authorities would take her children away.
A one-minute silence was held outside the town hall in Lloret de Mar yesterday, in memory of the two infants.
More than 100 locals and holidaymakers gathered just yards from the Hotel Miramar, where their bodies were found in room 101.
Lianne Smith will appear in court in Blanes near Lloret de Mar tomorrow morning.
Under the Spanish legal system, a suspect appears before a judge who decides whether there is sufficient evidence to bring a case against them.
During Martin Smith’s magistrates’ court hearing it was disclosed that Spanish police had informed Cumbria Constabulary that his wife had been arrested on suspicion of the murder of his two children, a Cumbria Police spokeswoman said.
Martin Smith allegedly jumped bail in 2008 while facing charges of 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.
It has also emerged that Lianne Smith was employed as a manager in Cumbria County Council’s children’s services department but did not work directly with children.
She was responsible for devising out-of-school activities for the benefit of pupils, parents and the community.
