French court returns British man

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Magistrates have approved the extradition from France of a British man found with a 15-year-old girl from Lincolnshire.

The teenager turned up in Lille last month after going missing from her home with a man she met online.

Robert Williams is to be questioned in connection with her disappearance when he returns to Britain.

The hearing was held in Douai in northern France. Mr Williams, 49, has agreed to be extradited.

At an earlier court appearance he said he wanted to go back to Britain to give his side of the story.

After the court hearing Mr Williams's lawyer, Henry-Pierre Rulente, said it could take up to a week to complete formalities for his client's return.

"I'm not sure exactly when he will be extradited, but Mr Williams repeated today that he is more than keen to go back and explain the situation."

Mr Rulente said his client had insisted that the teenager was travelling with him voluntarily.

"That is now what he wants to explain to the British authorities when he returns in the next few days."