Woman 'admits killing family'

A Lichfield woman has admitted suffocating her two children who were found dead in a Spanish hotel room, according to reports today.

Lianne Smith and her five-year-old daughter Rebecca had been missing from the city since December, 2007, according to a national internet site.

Meanwhile her former partner, the father of the children, is an alleged paedophile who was extradited from Spain this week, police sources revealed.

Martin Smith, aged 45, from North Shields, who was one of Britain's most wanted men, was arrested in the Barcelona area earlier this month.

The two children, five-year-old Rebecca and 11-month-old brother Daniel, were found in a room in the Hotel Miramar in the resort of Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava yesterday afternoon.

Mrs Smith was detained in the resort after they were found dead. She went to hotel reception shortly before 2pm yesterday and emergency services were called, but efforts to save the youngsters failed.

British embassy staff said they were trying to establish whether the family was on holiday in Spain or living there.

Lloret de Mar is a popular destination for British holidaymakers.

Smith jumped bail in 2008 while facing various charges including rape of a child under 16, gross indecency with a girl under the age of 16, indecent assault of a girl under 16 and attempted rape of a girl under 16.

Sources confirmed he was told about the deaths of the children last night.

He was extradited to Britain yesterday after being arrested on May 7 in Barcelona and appeared at Carlisle Magistrates' Court this morning on 13 sex offence charges.

Staffordshire Police issued a statement this afternoon. It said:

"We are very saddened to hear of the tragic deaths of the two children.

"Staffordshire Police had been treating Lianne and Rebecca Smith as missing people since December 2007.

"Shortly before this time they had moved to Lichfield from Cumbria but within a short period they had moved again and their whereabouts were unknown.

"It is believed that they were with Martin Smith, who was under investigation at that time by Cumbria Police for serious sexual offences.

"Our officers have worked closely with Staffordshire Social Services, Cumbria Police and, once it was established that the family were believed to be abroad, Interpol and other law enforcement agencies to trace the family.

"We are continuing to offer our full support to the investigation in Spain and Cumbria Police. "