23/06/2005

Witness tells court Caroline ‘called for her mum’

A friend of British schoolgirl Caroline Dickinson has told how she heard her call for her mum on the night she was killed.

Ann Jasper, 22, was giving evidence at the retrial of Spanish waiter Francisco Arce Montes, who is appealing against his conviction for the 13-year-old’s murder.

Caroline, who was on a school trip to Pleine Fougeres in Brittany, was raped and murdered in a hostel dormitory in July 1996.

Ms Jasper, who was sleeping in the same dormitory as Caroline, told the court that she was woken by the sound of banging in the middle of the night. She said that it sounded like “a bottle top hitting the wall”.

Ms Jasper reportedly broke down in court as she told how she heard Caroline mumbling ‘mum’ and ‘help’ and saw her “wriggling in bed”. However, she said that she thought Caroline was dreaming and went back to sleep.

Mr Montes, 55, from Gijon in northern Spain was sentenced to 30 years last June for Caroline’s murder. However, under French law, he is automatically entitled to an appeal.

Mr Montes, who did not give evidence at the first trial, admitted attacking Caroline, but said that he did not mean to kill her. He described her death as an “accident” and said that when he left the dormitory, he did not think Caroline was dead.

Caroline’s family are attending the trial in St Brieuc, Brittany.

The case continues.

(KMcA/SP)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

20 August 2014
Mortgage Lending At Six Year High - CML
Mortgage lending has hit a six year high with £19.1 billion being lent in July, an increase of 7% from the previous month and a 15% rise from July last year.
12 February 2010
Murder Appeal After Fatal Fire
A murder inquiry is underway after a 63-year-old man died following a fire at his home in Catford. Last Thursday police were alerted by the London Fire Brigade to a fire at a house on Pattenden Road SE6. Frank Hancock, 63, was rescued from a ground floor flat in the house by fire-fighters and was taken to Lewisham Hospital suffering severe burns.
04 February 2010
Man Arrested Over Indecent Images
A 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent images after a number of girls were approached in Salford. The incidents occurred in the Pendlebury area between 3pm and 4pm on several days over the past six weeks. On Thursday 21 January the suspect was driving a blue Vauxhall Astra when he approached two schoolgirls.
06 January 2009
Elderly Woman 'Died From Hypothermia'
An elderly woman, who was tied up in her bedroom during a suspected robbery, has died of suspected hypothermia, according to police. Eveline Kelmenson, 83 - known as Lina to family and friends - was found in her bedroom of her home in Leweston Place, Stamford Hill, N16 on New Year’s Day. Her legs had been bound with duct tape.
26 September 2008
New Report Tackles Neighbourhood 'Studentification' Problem
To coincide with the start of a new term for university and college students across Britain, a report that identifies ways to help councils manage high concentrations of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) was published by Housing and Planning Minister Caroline Flint today.