Murdered Caroline's father awaiting DNA results

The father of murdered schoolgirl Caroline Dickinson has warned against raising hopes of finding her killer after a man was arrested in the US.

John Dickinson said he has a wait and see attitude following the arrest in Florida of Spaniard Francisco Arce Montez.

Montez is wanted for questioning over the rape and murder of his daughter.

Montez, 50, was arrested in Miami Beach on March 14 on suspicion of burglary, trespass, and of lewd and lascivious behaviour in an unconnected incident.

He was named in court last month by a French judge as a chief suspect in the Dickinson case who was particularly wanted by police from a list of around 50 people sought for questioning.

Mr Dickinson, 43, from Bodmin, Cornwall, said he had known about the arrest for some time and is awaiting the results of DNA tests.

He asked: "Why build your hopes up to have them dashed? We just have to wait and see. I am aware of the situation and the family are aware of the situation.

"We understand this man is one of 48 the police are looking for and we will be awaiting the results of DNA sampling."

The family had suffered many disappointments in the five years since Caroline's death, he said, adding: "The press occasionally hear of the odd one, but there have been very many.

Caroline, from Bodmin, Cornwall, was 13 years old when she was raped and strangled while sharing a youth hostel dormitory with four classmates during a school trip to Pleine Fougeres, Brittany, in July 1996.