The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Fife man accused of killing his wife
COURT: Engineer remanded in France could face murder trial
A Fife man is expected to learn within the next few days if he is to be prosecuted for the alleged murder of his wife in the south of France.
Craig Sneddon, originally from Kirkcaldy, could face 30 years in prison if he is convicted of killing his Romanian-born spouse Madalina Sneddon at the apartment they shared in Aixen-Provence on June 13.
Lawyers for Mr Sneddon have maintained their client’s innocence after Mrs Sneddon was found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs, and insist it was a “tragic accident”.
Mr Sneddon made the call to emergency services, claiming he had discovered his wife’s body after waking up during the night, but prosecutors in France suggest a post-mortem examination tells a different story. A judge is to decide tomorrow if the case will go to trial.
A judge in France will decide in the coming days if a Fife man should be prosecuted for murder after his wife was found dead at their holiday home earlier this month.
Romanian-born Madalina Sneddon was discovered at the bottom of stairs in the apartment in the tourist city of Aixen-Provence in the south of France on June 13.
But despite her husband Craig, who is originally from Kirkcaldy, maintaining his innocence, the engineer has been remanded in custody accused of killing his wife after a post-mortem examination suggested her injuries were not consistent with a fall down the stairs.
The Courier understands further legal hearings are due to be held today, during which prosecutors will lay out their case before a judgment anticipated tomorrow that will determine whether the case goes to trial.
If convicted, Mr Sneddon has been told he could face up to 30 years in prison.
Mr Sneddon’s family in Fife have declined to comment at this stage, although sources say friends and relatives have been left “totally bereft” and believe Madalina’s death was a “tragic accident”.
Reports based on French police sources suggest Mr Sneddon made a 999 call to emergency operators in which he claimed to have found his wife lying at the foot of the stairs.
The same sources claim the couple, who have been married for several years and had been travelling the world, had been heard arguing by neighbours the day before.
A police spokesman said: “The call was made in French, with a distinct
English accent, that he had discovered the lifeless body of his companion on the stairs of their building.
“Forensic experts examined the body and concluded the woman had been killed.
“The autopsy carried out revealed injuries which were incompatible with a simple fall down the stairs.”
It is thought Madalina, who is originally from Bucharest and also uses the name Marina, had only arrived in France a few days previously due to coronavirus restrictions, and the couple were looking at staying in the south of France on a more permanent basis.
Mr Sneddon, an engineer by trade, has been remanded in custody at the Luynes remand centre, pending the verdict of a pre-trial judge who will consider all the evidence and determine if the case should be prosecuted.
The British consulate in the area is said to be supporting Mr Sneddon’s family, although they do not have any involvement with the victim’s family as she is not a British national.