Father who ‘kidnapped his two-year-old daughter at gunpoint from a British children’s home’ is arrested hours later at Madrid airport on his way to Algeria
- Police arrested 44-year-old on an Iberia plane bound for Algeria last Thursday
- Allegedly snatched his daughter at gunpoint in Nottingham earlier that day
- Spanish police announced the arrest today which was made at Madrid Airport
- Crown are believed to have prepared a European Arrest Warrant for extradition
Police in Spain have arrested an Algerian who allegedly snatched his two-year-old daughter from a children’s home in Nottingham at gunpoint and fled the UK with her.
The 44-year-old was held on an Iberia plane at Madrid Airport during a scheduled stop en route to his North African homeland.
The little girl was rescued and handed over to local social services so she could be returned to the UK.
Just an hour before his detention the UK’s National Crime Agency had issued a warning that a father had stolen his daughter from a children’s home, threatened staff with a firearm and bound them with rope, La Vanguardia reported.
Spanish police released photos of the 44-year-old suspect today after making the arrest at Madrid Airport last Thursday
The 44-year-old was held on an Iberia plane at Madrid Airport during a scheduled stop en route to his North African homeland
The detainee’s whereabouts today was not clear but it is thought UK authorities have prepared a European Arrest Warrant so the suspect can appear before judges in Madrid in an extradition hearing and be flown back to Britain to face trial.
Spanish police said he had lost custody of his daughter in circumstances that were not fully explained in a statement on the arrest.
A Spanish National Police spokesman said ‘Spanish National Police officers have arrested an Algerian who had allegedly snatched his two-year-old daughter from a children’s home in Nottingham in the UK.
‘The father had lost custody of his child but turned up at the centre and took her by force after allegedly threatening staff with a firearm and tying them up.
It is thought UK authorities have prepared a European Arrest Warrant so the suspect can appear before judges in Madrid in an extradition hearing and be flown back to Britain to face trial
‘He was held inside a plane which was heading to Oran in Algeria when it made a stopover in Madrid.’
The spokesman added: ‘The plane was just about to take off when he was arrested. The little girl was in good health and was handed over to social services so they could look after her until she could be returned to the UK.’
The arrest happened last Thursday, the same day as the abduction, although Spanish police only went public with news of the detention today.