Extradition of GP 'could take a month'

THE Buckinghamshire doctor wanted for questioning by British police in connection with the murder of his daughter could remain in custody in France for up to a month, writes James Cusick.

Dr Patrick Alesworth is being held in the Brittany port of St Malo. A French prosecutor said yesterday that he expected the GP to be extradited to Britain, although the process could take four weeks.

Dr Alesworth was arrested by French police on Thursday in the town of Ploubalay, south-west of St Malo, after a car and helicopter chase.

Thames Valley Police were conducting their own hunt for Dr Alesworth after his wife, Jane, found the body of their 20-year-old daugher, Sarah, lying in a pool of blood in her bedroom at the family house in Aylesbury, on Wednesday.

Earlier, Mrs Alesworth had returned to the house and had what police described as a brief altercation with her husband before he got into his car and drove off.

During the police hunt in France Dr Alesworth's car smashed through a roadblock. He also attempted to hijack another vehicle at knifepoint trying to evade French police.

After a two-hour appearance yesterday before St Malo's Chief Judge D'Instruction, Gerard Zaug, Dr Alesworth's custody was ordered to be continued. Formal charges of attempted robbery with violence and violence against police were expected to be made last night.

In a message relayed by his counsel, Dr Alesworth said: 'I just want to get back to Britain as soon as possible.'

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