Spaniard appeals jail term for schoolgirl murder

23 June 2004

RENNES – The Spaniard convicted of murdering British schoolgirl Caroline Dickinson is to appeal against his 30-year jail term, it emerged Wednesday.

A French judge sentenced Francisco Arce Montes to 30 years’ imprisonment, with the recommendation he should serve at least 20 years, earlier this month.

But after Montes’ lodged his appeal, the prosecutor may now launch a counter-appeal and press for a life sentence.

Montes was offering no new evidence as part of his appeal over the 1996 killing in a French hostel.

The 13-year-old was murdered by Montes in the dormitory of a hostel while on a school holiday in Brittany.

The trial in Rennes, in north-western France, heard there was a billion-to-one chance DNA found at the scene did not belong to Montes.

Jurors rejected the Spaniard’s claim that Caroline was still alive when he left her after sexually assaulting her in the French hostel.

During the trial Montes, 54, had admitted sexual assault but denied murdering the 13-year-old schoolgirl.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news