Two killers of British househunters to appeal 06/06/2006 00:00

6 June 2006

ALICANTE — Two Venezuelans convicted of kidnapping, robbing and murdering a British couple who were looking for a home in Spain have formally lodged notice of appeal.

Anthony and Linda O'Malley, from North Wales, were snatched and later murdered by Jorge Real Sierra and Jose Antonio Velazquez, the BBC reported.

The brothers-in-law from Venezuela received jail sentences totalling more than 100 years in May.

There is likely to be a delay of "many months" before their appeal is heard.

Sierra, 56, and Velazquez, 41, were jailed last month at Alicante Provincial Court for the murders in September 2002, of Linda O'Malley, 55, and her husband Anthony, 42.

The two men were found guilty of murder, kidnapping, theft, extortion and other offences.

Mr and Mrs O'Malley, who were looking for a retirement home, were snatched when they went to view a Costa Blanca villa the accused had rented and then advertised for sale.

They were kept bound and gagged and Mr O'Malley was forced at gun point to remove GBP 17,000 pounds from a bank account the couple had opened in Benidorm before he and his wife were killed.

The couple's bodies were found buried in the cellar of the house where they were held and murdered.

Mr O'Malley suffocated and his wife "died from terror", the Spanish court was told.

The two Venezuelans were arrested in Valencia in March 2003.

Now the lawyers who defended them at their trial, which lasted five days at the end of March and early in April, have given formal notice of appeal against conviction and sentence.

The Spanish Supreme Court in Madrid will hear the appeal.

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Subject: Spanish news