Pictured: Dutch suspect accused of shooting English girl, 11, in France, who died cradled in her mother's arms

13 June 2023, 12:14

Solaine Thornton, 11, was killed in the shooting
Solaine Thornton, 11, was killed in the shooting. Picture: Flickr/social media

By Kit Heren

A Dutch pensioner accused of killing an English girl in a shooting after a land dispute has been pictured, after it was revealed that the 11-year-old died cradled in her mother's arms.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Dirk Raats is charged with murdering Solaine Thornton, who was killed after being shot in the heart during a family barbecue in their garden in the village of Saint-Herbot in Brittany.

The 71-year-old is also charged with attempting to murder her parents Adrian and Rachael Thornton, who were seriously injured. The father was shot in the head and is in a coma while the mother was hit in the head and the back.

Solaine had been playing on the swings with her eight-year-old sister Celeste, who managed to escape unscathed and get help.

One neighbour said: "Celeste had dodged a bullet and ran for her life up here saying: 'They've killed my sister, and the man shot my dad.'

Listen and subscribe to Unprecedented: Inside Downing Street on Global Player

Dirk Raats
Dirk Raats. Picture: Flickr

"We went straight over there and the girl was dead and the mother was cradling her in her arms and screaming," they told the Telegraph.

Raats' wife Marlene Van Hoof was also charged with concealing weapons. She was later released.

The shooting came after Raats and the Thorntons, who are originally from Oldham, had been embroiled in a long-running argument over their connecting land.

Dirk Raats
Dirk Raats. Picture: Flickr

Appearing in court in Brest on Monday evening, Raats said: "It's so horrible what happened – I don't understand it."

Prosecutors said Raats had been drinking and taking drugs when he opened fire on Saturday.

Prosecutor Camille Miansoni said: "It appears that he clearly aimed at the father, that he aimed at his wife, but however he seems less clear as to a possible admission that he aimed at the girl."

Solaine was killed in the shooting
Solaine was killed in the shooting. Picture: Facebook

Mrs Thornton had previously said they were threatened by a gun-wielding neighbour years prior when her family cut a hedge down.

Mr Miansoni said works on the hedge "exasperated" Raats "who later took a loaded .22 calibre rifle and fired three or four shots, hitting three victims".

Read more: British girl, 11, who was shot dead in France 'didn't stand a chance' and her sister 'will have to live with it forever'

Celeste managed to flee to another neighbour and said: "My sister is dead, my sister is dead."

Raats and Van Hoof tested positive for alcohol and cannabis but prosecutors said they do not have any previous convictions.

Anne Guillerme, Raats' defence barrister, suggested he could have psychiatric problems.

The girls were playing on the swings when the attack happened
The girls were playing on the swings when the attack happened. Picture: TF1

Mr Miansoni said a mental health assessment had not flagged anything notable.

The Thorntons moved to Saint Herbot in 2019 and they were the only English family in the area. They were well-liked and would open up their grounds for the hamlet's festival in September.

Their home is based in a large plot. Mr Thornton works as a mechanic while Mrs Thornton is in social services.

Read more: Pictured: Two children, aged 7 and 11, found dead in Stoke-on-Trent named by police

Mr Thornton had been working on tidying and clearing the land, which was said to have otherwise been abandoned and was wild.

The mayor of Plonevez-du-Faou, Marguerite Bleuzen, said she had to intervene over "tensions" three years ago but had not needed to wade in since then. She was only told after the shooting there had been more problems.

The family was well-liked in the hamlet
The family was well-liked in the hamlet. Picture: TF1

"On one occasion, I was told that the Dutch man brought out a weapon. I wish I or the police had been told, and this might have been avoided," he said.

The 11-year-old's grandfather, Irvin Thornton, said police arrived at his house on Sunday night to break the news of his granddaughter's death.

"We don't know exactly what has gone on," he told MailOnline.

"We didn't know anything about a dispute. How can a 71-year-old man shoot a little girl?

"There might have been dispute over land but you do not do that. She didn't stand a chance.

"And in front of her sister. How is she going to get over that? It will live with her forever."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

A planetary alignment, or a planetary parade. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Seven planets set to align over UK skies in ‘planetary parade’ this week - here’s how to spot the rare spectacle

Schoolgirl, 12, charged with manslaughter over death of 80-year-old dog walker Bhim Kohli

Teen racially abused and beat grandfather Bhim Kohli with shoe as girl, 13, laughed during fatal attack, court hears

Keir Starmer has announced a boost in UK defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP

'We have to fight for peace': PM announces biggest defence spending rise since Cold War while cutting foreign aid

Scientists have finally given the all-clear to Earth from a newly discovered asteroid.

NASA gives new update on 'city killer' asteroid 'the size of Big Ben' - good news for Earth, bad news for Moon

William met with England coach Thomas Tuchel today.

Prince William all smiles as he meets with England coach Thomas Tuchel

Exclusive
One in four teachers would not be happy to give school lunches to their own children

One in four teachers would not be happy to give school lunches to their own children, study reveals

Andrew Westwood was found guilty of 26 offences including rape and sexual assault of a child.

Sex Education actor jailed for 15 years after raping and sexually abusing young girls

shirley ballas

Man, 37, admits stalking Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas over six-year period

Exclusive
The Prince Charles Cinema  which is facing threat of closure after the cinema's landlords demanded that a break clause be added to their new lease

Chain hotels and restaurants will kill the West End warns cinema boss in fight against closure

A doctor in the DRC (File)

Mystery disease kills more than 50 people in Democratic Republic of Congo

The incident happened on campus at the University of Nottingham

Female student, 18, dies after horror e-bike crash on university campus

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim speaks out after the latest round of redundancies at the club

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim speaks out after latest round of mass redundancies at crisis club

Aslef has called off two strikes

Elizabeth Line train driver strikes called off after new pay offer

Registered XL Bully dogs must be housed securely, neutered, kept on a lead and muzzled in public (file image)

Police shoot two XL Bullies 19 times after dogs viciously attack 84-year-old pensioner

Sections of the M4 and the M48 were closed into the evening on Saturday, with the knock-on effects of traffic continuing into Sunday morning, Avon and Somerset police said.

Man found dead on M4 had been confronted by 'online paedophile hunters' and arrested day before death

Gilbert Colvin Primary School

Teacher sacked after joke about 'whacking' pupil over the head not understood