Man charged over Ecuador kidnap

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A man has been charged in Ecuador with kidnapping backpacker Jennifer Pope, who went missing in the South American country nine months ago.

Mrs Pope, 50, from Mossley, Greater Manchester, travelled alone and has not contacted her family since 9 January.

British police who travelled to Ecuador to help in the search have said there is no hope of finding her alive.

The Foreign Office confirmed a security guard at a hostel where she was staying has been charged with her kidnap.

The man was originally arrested in May and re-arrested in early June.

A preliminary hearing is expected to take place in about three weeks.

Concern for Mrs Pope grew when it was discovered her bank account was overdrawn to its limit between 10 and 16 January.

She also failed to board her flight home from Quito in February.

What police described as "irregular transactions" began the day after her last e-mail to her family.

Mrs Pope is married to David and has a son, Stefan, 22.