Post by emre on Jun 3, 2010 20:00:22 GMT
Rape suspect Martin Smith attacked in prison
Jun 3 2010 by Sara Nichol, Evening Chronicle
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A MOST-wanted rape suspect has been attacked in a North East prison.
Martin Smith, who was extradited to the UK to face 13 child sex charges after two years on the run, is the husband of double murder suspect Lianne Smith.
Tyneside-born Lianne is accused of suffocating the couple’s children Rebecca Smith, five, and her 11-month-old brother Daniel at the Hotel Miramar in Lloret de Mar, on the Costa Brava, Spain, last month.
Smith, 45 – who is originally from North Shields – is understood to have been assaulted by another inmate in the wing where he is being held at HMP Durham.
The Chronicle has learnt that Smith was attacked with a snooker cue by a fellow prisoner, which left him needing hospital treatment.
Scott Mcguire, 23, was being remanded in the same wing of HMP Durham Prison as Smith and witnessed the assault, which happened on bank holiday Monday.
Mr Mcguire, of Berwick, who was serving a two-week sentence but was released yesterday, said: “Despite the charges he’s up against, many of the inmates chatted to Martin.
“I never really spoke to him. On Monday afternoon, I was talking to an officer when I heard a couple of quite loud bangs. I looked around and another inmate had hit Martin over the head with a snooker cue.
“He must have hit him around or just above the ear and there was blood coming from it and running all down his face.
“The prison officers were really quick to act – you couldn’t fault them – they threw the man responsible in his cell and pulled Martin away from the other inmates.
“He was taken to hospital for stitches to the wound around his ear. I had only been in prison a week and I got out yesterday.
“I know when I left, Martin was only allowed out of his cell on his own. He wasn’t being allowed to socialise with other inmates.
“I know he’s been on suicide watch the whole time I was in there and he still was when I got out yesterday.”
Smith’s wife Lianne, who is originally from Wallsend, was remanded in custody in Spain accused of her children’s murder.
The family fled from the UK in 2007 Smith was arrested over alleged child sex offences but he was brought back to the UK and remanded in custody following an appearance at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court.
The former TV psychic was taken from the flat they shared in Barcelona on May 8 and extradited to the UK shortly afterwards.
On May 14, Mrs Smith panicked and fled from Barcelona after what she described as “an attempt to take my children”.
The children were found dead on May 18 in Hotel Miramar in Lloret de Mar.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "A prisoner at HMP Durham was assaulted by another prisoner at 3.26pm Monday, May 31.
“The prisoner was treated in an outside hospital. Police have been informed about the incident.”
Jun 3 2010 by Sara Nichol, Evening Chronicle
Comments (6)Recommend 12next
A MOST-wanted rape suspect has been attacked in a North East prison.
Martin Smith, who was extradited to the UK to face 13 child sex charges after two years on the run, is the husband of double murder suspect Lianne Smith.
Tyneside-born Lianne is accused of suffocating the couple’s children Rebecca Smith, five, and her 11-month-old brother Daniel at the Hotel Miramar in Lloret de Mar, on the Costa Brava, Spain, last month.
Smith, 45 – who is originally from North Shields – is understood to have been assaulted by another inmate in the wing where he is being held at HMP Durham.
The Chronicle has learnt that Smith was attacked with a snooker cue by a fellow prisoner, which left him needing hospital treatment.
Scott Mcguire, 23, was being remanded in the same wing of HMP Durham Prison as Smith and witnessed the assault, which happened on bank holiday Monday.
Mr Mcguire, of Berwick, who was serving a two-week sentence but was released yesterday, said: “Despite the charges he’s up against, many of the inmates chatted to Martin.
“I never really spoke to him. On Monday afternoon, I was talking to an officer when I heard a couple of quite loud bangs. I looked around and another inmate had hit Martin over the head with a snooker cue.
“He must have hit him around or just above the ear and there was blood coming from it and running all down his face.
“The prison officers were really quick to act – you couldn’t fault them – they threw the man responsible in his cell and pulled Martin away from the other inmates.
“He was taken to hospital for stitches to the wound around his ear. I had only been in prison a week and I got out yesterday.
“I know when I left, Martin was only allowed out of his cell on his own. He wasn’t being allowed to socialise with other inmates.
“I know he’s been on suicide watch the whole time I was in there and he still was when I got out yesterday.”
Smith’s wife Lianne, who is originally from Wallsend, was remanded in custody in Spain accused of her children’s murder.
The family fled from the UK in 2007 Smith was arrested over alleged child sex offences but he was brought back to the UK and remanded in custody following an appearance at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court.
The former TV psychic was taken from the flat they shared in Barcelona on May 8 and extradited to the UK shortly afterwards.
On May 14, Mrs Smith panicked and fled from Barcelona after what she described as “an attempt to take my children”.
The children were found dead on May 18 in Hotel Miramar in Lloret de Mar.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "A prisoner at HMP Durham was assaulted by another prisoner at 3.26pm Monday, May 31.
“The prisoner was treated in an outside hospital. Police have been informed about the incident.”