Student charged with son's murder

A British student has been charged with murdering her newborn son, shortly after giving birth to him in a Greek hotel room.

The 20-year-old Londoner, who was named locally as Leah Andrews, was on holiday in Crete with her sister and a female friend when she was arrested.

According to police, she had kept her pregnancy a secret from her companions until they found her and her baby covered in blood in the hotel room. A coroner said the boy was born healthy and had then been smothered.

Ms Andrews, who denies the charge, is under guard in a city hospital until she is well enough to be brought before a prosecutor.

A police spokesman said Ms Andrews, who is believed to have two other children, had returned to the room alone after complaining of feeling unwell. He said her companions had returned to the room about 5am and had then called the police.

Yesterday, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm a British national has been detained and will be charged with the murder of her baby in Malia, Crete. We are providing consular assistance."

The spokesman said he could make no further comment because of the continuing police investigation.