Mother Guilty Of Killing Her Son And Daughter

A British mother who killed her young son and daughter in a Spanish hotel room has been found guilty of their "abominable" murders.

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

The killings took place shortly after the 45-year-old's partner, Martin Smith, was extradited to the UK on sex offence charges.

A jury at the Provincial Court in Girona, northeast Spain, found her guilty of murder charges after deciding she was criminally responsible for the children's deaths.

Her defence had sought an acquittal, claiming she was in a state of "psychiatric disturbance" and suffering insurmountable fear when the tragedy happened.

But the jury rejected her claim that she was "totally disturbed" or she was so scared she could not be expected to act in any other way when she committed the murders.

The jury foreman said: "The defendant admitted during the trial that she was fully conscious of what she was doing and knew it was wrong."

Smith remained calm when the verdict was read out.

Victor Pillado Quintas, for the prosecution, described the killings as "horrid, vile and despicable" and asked for her to be jailed for a total of 34 years.

Speaking outside the courthouse afterwards, he said: "Justice has been done, these were abominable crimes."

Judge Adolfo Garcia Morales is now expected to release a written sentence in the coming weeks.

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

He was found guilty in December 2010 at Manchester Crown Court of using hypnotism, bullying and violence to groom and sexually abuse Sarah Richardson - who waived the right to anonymity.

The 46-year-old was found hanged in his cell at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, last January.