Caroline suspect to face magistrates

Francisco Montez left Miami on Monday night

Francisco Arce Montez, the man accused of killing schoolgirl Caroline Dickinson, will be questioned by magistrates in France on Friday.

The interview is the first stage in the process to assess whether he will stand trial for the 13-year-old girl's murder.

The move follows the extradition from America to France of the 51-year-old Spaniard.

The bar worker is suspected of raping and murdering the Cornish teenager in her bed during a school trip to the village of Pleine-Fougeres in Brittany in 1996.

Mr Montez flew into Charles de Gaulle airport near Paris on Tuesday morning on an overnight Air France jet from Miami after being extradited from the United States.

Caroline Dickinson was killed on a school trip

He was then taken before a public prosecutor at the nearest court, in Bobigny, to be formally arrested.

From there, he was due to travel to the city of Rennes, near the murder scene in Britanny, to be interviewed on Friday by the examining magistrate presiding over the inquiry.

In France, a judicial investigation is conducted by a magistrate who tries to substantiate charges against a suspect.

Police reconstruction

Once this investigation is concluded, the suspect may be committed for trial.

It could be months - possibly a year - before the case comes to court, probably in Rennes.

Mr Montez is unlikely to be formally charged until closer to the trial date.

French police will also reconstruct the night that Caroline was killed.

The reconstruction is to form part of the continuing investigation into the teenager's death five years ago.

DNA tests

Three magistrates have handled the inquiry so far. They have overseen 3,800 DNA tests and 9,300 people being interviewed.

Timeline of events

18 July 1996 - Caroline murdered in Brittany hostel

20 July 1996 - French police arrest vagrant, later released after DNA test

13 March 2001- Francisco Arce Montez arrested on charges of lewd behaviour

March 2001- US immigration officer visiting UK recognises Mr Montez after reading article about Caroline

April 2001- French police issue warrant for Mr Montez's arrest after DNA tests show 100% match

June 2001- US judge rules Mr Montez should be extradited to France

November 2001- A Miami court releases Mr Montez on bail, and he is extradited to France

The biggest breakthrough in the case came when an American immigration officer read about the case while on holiday in Britain.

Mr Montez was named as a suspect and the officer, Tommy Ontko, recognised his name as the same as that on an immigration department bulletin board back at his place of work.

Mr Montez was already due to stand trial in Miami in July accused of breaking and entering and lewd behaviour.

He pleaded not guilty, but the Americans waived the right to go to trial, arguing that the charges against him in France were far more serious.

As soon as the formalities were complete in Miami, Mr Montez was on an Air France flight to Paris.

The French authorities said they were grateful for America's help in extraditing the wanted man and breaking the deadlock in the inquiry.

Tests in America showed that Mr Montez was a virtually perfect match for DNA found at the scene of the crime.

However, French police said that the work will not stop just because the chief suspect is in custod