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| Megan Stammers returns home after French bar owner tips off police | Megan Stammers returns home after French bar owner tips off police |
| (8 days later) | |
| A quick-witted French bar owner played a key role in the arrest of Jeremy Forrest, the maths teacher whose disappearance with 15-year-old Eastbourne schoolgirl Megan Stammers last week sparked an international manhunt. | A quick-witted French bar owner played a key role in the arrest of Jeremy Forrest, the maths teacher whose disappearance with 15-year-old Eastbourne schoolgirl Megan Stammers last week sparked an international manhunt. |
| The bar owner's role emerged as French police gave new details of the couple's movements in the days before they were picked up in Bordeaux. | The bar owner's role emerged as French police gave new details of the couple's movements in the days before they were picked up in Bordeaux. |
| It emerged that on Wednesday the couple had taken a three-hour high-speed TGV train from Paris Montparnasse station to Bordeaux. Once in the port city, they found a modest hotel in its centre and on Thursday morning Forrest began looking for work as a waiter or barman in one of Bordeaux's many cafe bars and brasseries. | It emerged that on Wednesday the couple had taken a three-hour high-speed TGV train from Paris Montparnasse station to Bordeaux. Once in the port city, they found a modest hotel in its centre and on Thursday morning Forrest began looking for work as a waiter or barman in one of Bordeaux's many cafe bars and brasseries. |
| A bar owner suggested he might have a job and asked Forrest to come back the following day. But the owner had recognised Forrest from photographs published in French papers and called the police. It was apparently the third sighting of the pair in Bordeaux, according to French media. | A bar owner suggested he might have a job and asked Forrest to come back the following day. But the owner had recognised Forrest from photographs published in French papers and called the police. It was apparently the third sighting of the pair in Bordeaux, according to French media. |
| When Forrest returned to the bar on Friday lunchtime, officers were waiting and swooped as the couple walked along the city's main commercial road, Rue Sainte-Catherine. The police operation ended a drama that had started the previous Friday when Megan was reported missing having failed to turn up for school. It emerged that she had travelled with Forrest to France the previous evening. | When Forrest returned to the bar on Friday lunchtime, officers were waiting and swooped as the couple walked along the city's main commercial road, Rue Sainte-Catherine. The police operation ended a drama that had started the previous Friday when Megan was reported missing having failed to turn up for school. It emerged that she had travelled with Forrest to France the previous evening. |
| A spokesman for Sussex police said a member of its child protection team had been dispatched to Bordeaux to meet Megan who had spoken with her parents by telephone. | A spokesman for Sussex police said a member of its child protection team had been dispatched to Bordeaux to meet Megan who had spoken with her parents by telephone. |
| The spokesman confirmed that officers planned to speak with the teenager once she has been reunited with her mother, Danielle Wilson, and stepfather, Martin Stammers. | The spokesman confirmed that officers planned to speak with the teenager once she has been reunited with her mother, Danielle Wilson, and stepfather, Martin Stammers. |
| "We just can't wait to be reunited with her," Stammers said. "Our family are overjoyed at the outcome. As you can imagine it's been an absolute emotional rollercoaster." | "We just can't wait to be reunited with her," Stammers said. "Our family are overjoyed at the outcome. As you can imagine it's been an absolute emotional rollercoaster." |
| Thanking the police, media and members of the public for maintaining publicity in the case, Stammers said: "I just can't put it into words how grateful we are as a family." He asked for the family to be now left alone to "bond". | Thanking the police, media and members of the public for maintaining publicity in the case, Stammers said: "I just can't put it into words how grateful we are as a family." He asked for the family to be now left alone to "bond". |
| Terry Boatwright, headteacher of Bishop Bell school, which Stammers attends, said: "Throughout the last week, finding Megan has been everyone's priority and a major focus of our thoughts and prayers in school. Clearly, much needs to be done now to support Megan and her family as they seek to return to some sort of normality and we will do all we can to play our part in that." | Terry Boatwright, headteacher of Bishop Bell school, which Stammers attends, said: "Throughout the last week, finding Megan has been everyone's priority and a major focus of our thoughts and prayers in school. Clearly, much needs to be done now to support Megan and her family as they seek to return to some sort of normality and we will do all we can to play our part in that." |
| Experts have suggested that Stammers may need counselling. "She's been subjected to all this publicity, pressure and notoriety so there's a real possibility it's going to lead to huge disruption in her life," said Phillip Hodson, a fellow of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. "What she doesn't need is a lecture," Hodson added. "She needs an opportunity to sound off." | Experts have suggested that Stammers may need counselling. "She's been subjected to all this publicity, pressure and notoriety so there's a real possibility it's going to lead to huge disruption in her life," said Phillip Hodson, a fellow of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. "What she doesn't need is a lecture," Hodson added. "She needs an opportunity to sound off." |
| Forrest appeared before a French judge at the Bordeaux appeal court on Friday evening to be served with his international arrest warrant. He reportedly told the court he had no objections to being returned to the UK and would not fight the order. He was remanded in "provisional custody" to the Gradignan penitentiary centre in the suburbs of Bordeaux which has 407 places for men, women and minors. Megan was handed over to British consular staff, before she began her journey home to Britain on Saturday afternoon. | Forrest appeared before a French judge at the Bordeaux appeal court on Friday evening to be served with his international arrest warrant. He reportedly told the court he had no objections to being returned to the UK and would not fight the order. He was remanded in "provisional custody" to the Gradignan penitentiary centre in the suburbs of Bordeaux which has 407 places for men, women and minors. Megan was handed over to British consular staff, before she began her journey home to Britain on Saturday afternoon. |
| Forrest's French lawyer, Daniel Lalanne, who visited him on Saturday morning described his client as a "charming boy" who, he said, "looks younger than his age". Lalanne added: "He is not depressed." | Forrest's French lawyer, Daniel Lalanne, who visited him on Saturday morning described his client as a "charming boy" who, he said, "looks younger than his age". Lalanne added: "He is not depressed." |
| The lawyer said his client had been "well treated" by the police and was being looked after equally well in prison, adding that Forrest would probably be sent back to the UK "rapidly" after appearing before a judge on Tuesday morning. He said the legal case was "progressing normally", but that he was ensuring that due process was properly followed. | The lawyer said his client had been "well treated" by the police and was being looked after equally well in prison, adding that Forrest would probably be sent back to the UK "rapidly" after appearing before a judge on Tuesday morning. He said the legal case was "progressing normally", but that he was ensuring that due process was properly followed. |
| "This boy has agreed to be taken back to England, which is a good point," added Lalanne. "He is not on the run, he was arrested while in Bordeaux in the process of looking for work." | "This boy has agreed to be taken back to England, which is a good point," added Lalanne. "He is not on the run, he was arrested while in Bordeaux in the process of looking for work." |
| Forrest's parents, Jim and Julie, said: "We are pleased that Megan and Jeremy have been found safe and well. This has been an ordeal for all the families concerned. We would like to thank Sussex and the French police as well as the British media for their assistance." | Forrest's parents, Jim and Julie, said: "We are pleased that Megan and Jeremy have been found safe and well. This has been an ordeal for all the families concerned. We would like to thank Sussex and the French police as well as the British media for their assistance." |
| East Sussex council confirmed on Saturday that it has also launched its own investigation. | East Sussex council confirmed on Saturday that it has also launched its own investigation. |
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