Man accused of killing parents remanded

RODERICK NEWALL, accused of murdering his parents at their Jersey home five years ago, was remanded in custody for a week when he appeared in a Gibraltar magistrates' court yesterday, writes David Connett.

Lawyers acting for Mr Newall, 27, have asked for reporting restrictions to be imposed on his extradition hearing which is expected to take place next month.

Mr Newall, a former Army officer arrested in mid-ocean two weeks ago, is accused of murdering his Scottish parents, Nicholas, 56, and Elizabeth, 48, at their home in Jersey in 1987.

His lawyer, Chris Finch, said extradition should be treated as committal proceedings, with the same reporting restrictions. The case could be affected if submissions and rulings were rehearsed in the press before a trial. He said the arrest warrant was based on a 'small bit of evidence'.

For the prosecution, Gibraltar's Attorney General, John Blackburn Gittings, said: 'We don't think it is a small bit of evidence. Time will tell.' He argued that reporting restrictions did not apply to extradition.

The former Gibraltar chief minister, Sir Joshua Hassan QC, for the Gibraltar Chronicle newspaper, and Guy Stagnetto QC, for Gibraltar TV, both argued for the protection of free speech.

Judge Felix Pizzarello said he would rule next Thursday.