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17/07/2003
Ex-marine denies claims of abusing British schoolgirl
The former US marine arrested for running away with British schoolgirl Shevaun Pennington has denied having a sexual relationship with the 12-year-old.
Toby Studabaker (31) is being held in custody in Germany following his arrest in Frankfurt in a joint collaboration between Greater Manchester Police, German authorities and the FBI.
The ex-marine went missing with the schoolgirl on Saturday, sparking a four day manhunt during which police followed the pair's movements from airport to airport before apprehending Mr Studebaker in Germany on Wednesday afternoon. Shevaun returned to the UK to be reunited with her family in Manchester.
Appearing before a German court on Thursday morning, Mr Studabaker said that he did not have a sexual relationship with the girl, and that he will not be resisting extradition to the UK, where he could face charges of child abduction.
German authorities are reluctant to prosecute, stating that it was unlikely that any criminal activity in the case had occurred on German ground. Spokesperson for the General Prosecutor's Office, Hildegard Becker-Toussaint, added: "If a sexual offence was committed, it was probably not committed in Germany but in France. Any lawsuit would be in a British or French court."
Previous - although unproven - allegations of sexual misdemeanours involving underage girls surrounding Mr Studabaker are now starting to surface, as police investigations into the background of the case continue. Two girls from his home town of Three Rivers, Michigan, claim that they were victims of assault at the hands of Mr Studabaker, at the time reporting him to the police, although all charges were dropped. At the time, Mr Studabaker's wife was suffering from a rare form of bone cancer and later died from the illness.
(CL)
Toby Studabaker (31) is being held in custody in Germany following his arrest in Frankfurt in a joint collaboration between Greater Manchester Police, German authorities and the FBI.
The ex-marine went missing with the schoolgirl on Saturday, sparking a four day manhunt during which police followed the pair's movements from airport to airport before apprehending Mr Studebaker in Germany on Wednesday afternoon. Shevaun returned to the UK to be reunited with her family in Manchester.
Appearing before a German court on Thursday morning, Mr Studabaker said that he did not have a sexual relationship with the girl, and that he will not be resisting extradition to the UK, where he could face charges of child abduction.
German authorities are reluctant to prosecute, stating that it was unlikely that any criminal activity in the case had occurred on German ground. Spokesperson for the General Prosecutor's Office, Hildegard Becker-Toussaint, added: "If a sexual offence was committed, it was probably not committed in Germany but in France. Any lawsuit would be in a British or French court."
Previous - although unproven - allegations of sexual misdemeanours involving underage girls surrounding Mr Studabaker are now starting to surface, as police investigations into the background of the case continue. Two girls from his home town of Three Rivers, Michigan, claim that they were victims of assault at the hands of Mr Studabaker, at the time reporting him to the police, although all charges were dropped. At the time, Mr Studabaker's wife was suffering from a rare form of bone cancer and later died from the illness.
(CL)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:Showers today, occasional north and west of Lough Neagh, but only a few isolated light outbreaks expected for Belfast and county Down where the best of the winter sunshine is expected. West to northwest winds brisk around the coasts. Maximum temperature 10 °C.Tonight:Showers focused across northern areas of the Province, with most in the south staying dry, with a frost developing for many here. Northwest winds fresh around the coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
