Solaine thornton

The elderly neighbour accused of killing an year-old British girl with a rifle in France has been pictured for the first time. Dirk Raats, solaine thornton, 71, faces spending the rest of his life behind bars after being charged with the murder of Solaine Thornton and the attempted murder of her parents in the tiny village of Saint Herbot, solaine thornton. Prosecutors said the little girl solaine thornton playing on a swing with her eight-year-old sister Celeste when Raats, allegedly under the influence of alcohol and cannabis, opened fire through a hedge on Saturday evening. Celeste was the only family member to escape unscathed.

A British schoolgirl who was shot dead in France "didn't stand a chance", her grandfather has said. Solaine Thornton, 11, was playing on a swing in the garden of her family home in Brittany when a neighbour allegedly stormed in and opened fire. Her father Adrien and mother Rachel were also injured in the attack, with Adrien struggling to survive in hospital with a head wound. The year-old's grandfather, Irvin Thornton, said police arrived at his house on Sunday night to break the news of his granddaughter's death. How can a year-old man shoot a little girl? She didn't stand a chance.

Solaine thornton

The suspect held over the fatal shooting of an year-old British girl in France is under investigation for murder, prosecutors say. Solaine Thornton was shot dead while playing on a swing in her garden on Saturday evening. Prosecutors said Dirk Raats, a year-old neighbour, got to within 10m of the girl's father before opening fire through a hedge. He had been in conflict with the family over building work on their property. Mr Raats then shut himself in his house in the village of Saint-Herbot, north of Quimper in Brittany, following the incident but gave himself up to police an hour later. His wife, who was also arrested, surrendered half an hour after he did, but she has since been released. Prosecutor Camille Miansoni said the couple had been in conflict for years with their British neighbours over works taking place on their property. The suspect was "profoundly exasperated" over the works, which he said affected his privacy and caused disturbance to him and his wife. Mr Miansoni said the suspect had gone into his home to fetch one of the guns and returned to the garden before opening fire and shooting three or four times through a hedge. This suggested a level of premeditation, he said. Solaine Thornton and her eight-year-old sister Celeste had been playing on a swing as their parents tended the barbecue when the neighbour began firing.

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By David Jones. Further down the garden, where the fire had burned, some half-eaten cobs of toasted corn are strewn on the grass. There is an empty packet of chocolate fingers, a discarded beer can, and a plastic goblet — still holding dregs of red wine — marked Glass Reserved for Mummy. It seems like a film set. The sight that caused me to catch my breath, as I gazed at this eerily frozen tableau this week, was that of a makeshift swing swaying in the breeze. British girl Solaine Thornton, 11, was shot dead as she played on swings in Brittany by an elderly neighbour 'on drugs' who wounded her parents, investigators say.

News World. Dirk Raats, 71, spoke briefly on Monday evening as he was formally charged with the murder of Solaine Thornton, 11, and the attempted murders of Adrian and Rachael Thornton, 52 and 49 respectively. The Dutch national is accused of aiming a volley of shots at the family, who are originally from the Manchester area, as they enjoyed a barbecue on Saturday. Raats was taken from a secure police station for a minute appearance before a judge at Brest Criminal Court. The court heard that Raats had worked as a photographer, shepherd and career for the handicapped before retiring to France some five years ago. Raats was remanded in custody following the charges, and could spend the rest of his life in prison if found guilty at trial. Five killed in Gaza as aid package 'hits people on ground'. Meet the fitness influencer defying stereotypes about ageing. All of the Thorntons were in the garden of their property — a converted saw mill — when shots were fired at around 9pm on Saturday.

Solaine thornton

An year-old girl from a British family who was shot dead while playing on a swing in her garden in France has been named as Solaine Thornton. The family were having a barbecue on Saturday evening when the shooting happened in the village of Saint-Herbot, north of Quimper in Brittany. Her parents, Adrian and Rachel Thornton, were also hurt and are in hospital. The family were named by the mayor of the commune where the family lived, Marguerite Bleuzen. The girl and her eight-year-old sister were playing on a swing as their parents tended the barbecue, when a neighbour began firing at them with a shotgun through a hedge. The younger girl ran to another neighbour's house to raise the alarm and is now said to be in shock. A local resident told French media that the younger child ran to neighbours shouting: "My sister is dead, my sister is dead". The suspect, described as a year-old Dutch national, reportedly shut himself in his house following the incident but eventually surrendered to police and was arrested along with his wife. Locals said the man was something of a recluse who was in dispute with the British family over a plot of land adjoining the two properties. Local media reported that the family had lived in the village for several years.

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After a stay in Brittany, they ventured south to the Auvergne, in the Massif Central mountains, taking over a hotel and turning it into a guesthouse for hikers, with a tearoom on the ground floor. She was with her sister on garden swings when the attack happened, while their parents were tending the barbecue. My Account. The family had been enjoying a barbecue at home when the gunman emerged and shot several times, before running back to his house and barricading himself in. Celeste remains in a state of shock - but knows her sister is dead and her dad is fighting for his life. Van Hoof, who wore a hippy-style bandana, was only slightly more approachable. A Dutch man and his wife have been arrested in connection with the attack. At around local time on Saturday night, he fired through his hedge into the plot of land where the Thorntons were having a barbecue. Rats, rubbish and nappies in gutters and pelted with eggs: Residents on Benefits Street say life has 'got Privacy Policy. The Thorntons had lived in the property — a converted sawmill close to Saint-Herbot chapel — for around five years.

The mother of a British schoolgirl cradled her dying daughter in her arms after she was shot dead while playing in the garden of her home in France. Solaine Thornton, 11, was shot along with her parents by their neighbour outside their home in Saint-Herbot, near Brittany at around 10pm local time on Saturday.

The year-old - named by an investigating source as Dirk Raats - shot dead Solaine Thornton , 11, as she played on the swings with her sister Celeste, 8, during a family barbecue in France. A neighbour said: "The two little girls were playing near the games and on the swing, the parents were sitting on their usual bench and having a barbecue. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. How can a year-old man shoot a little girl? The couple, both Dutch nationals, tested positive for alcohol and cannabis. An obsessively private couple, after retiring in , Raats and Van Hoof moved from Antwerp, in Belgium, to Saint-Herbot for its remoteness. Warning: it might involve hours and hours of exercise However, Mrs Rhodes says he has emerged from a coma and gestured to family members, who have travelled from Oldham, Greater Manchester, to lend their support. Mr Thornton remained "critical with life-threatening wounds" on Monday, while his wife was also in intensive care at the Cavale Blanche hospital in Brest, where they both underwent surgery. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Major rail line into London is blocked after train hit an object on the track and derailed - with passengers