British expat, 75, banned from returning to his Costa Blanca home after being found guilty of child abuse in the UK

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A UK court has banned a British expat from returning to his Costa Blanca home after he was convicted of committing sexual offences against a young girl in a caravan.

John Sandell, 75, lived in the Withernsea area of East Yorkshire before stating a new life in Spain.

The Mirror reported that he denied six counts of indecency with a child but was convicted by a Hull jury.

HULL CROWN COURT

With sentencing pending, Sandell was refused permission to return to Spain and a Hull Crown Court judge ordered him to surrender his passport.

His defence barrister stated that he had been living in Alicante but returned to the UK for court appearances.

Judge Peter Kelson said that allowing Sandell to carry on living in Alicante ‘complicated’ the situation.

“I am not comfortable with the defendant returning to Spain,” he said.

“I impose a condition of bail that the defendant must reside in the UK,” Kelson added.

JUDGE KELSON

He is now staying with his sister in Withernsea ahead of sentencing.

The trial heard that Sandell was caught with the young girl while they were in a caravan in East Yorkshire.

The girl’s mother heard laughing and discovered them together.

“He just froze and didn’t say anything,” said the woman.

There were two girls in the caravan.

Former Blackpool hotel owner Sandell denied committing any sexual assaults..

He stated that ‘things were not what they looked like’.
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