HUNT FOR WEALTHY BRITON AFTER WIFE CLAIMS HE TRIED TO SET FIRE TO HER

PALMA
THE Guardia Civil are searching for a British millionaire who allegedly tried to set fire to his wife at their Costa den Blanes mansion on Monday morning.

According to the victim, who reported the incident to the police, the two had been arguing in their bedroom early on Monday and her husband apparently threw her on to the bed and doused her in petrol.

Fortunately, before the missing Briton could set the bed alight, his wife was able to grab the telephone and call a neighbour for help.
Her husband, said to be in his early 40's, apparently fled the property and has not been seen since.
The victim reported the incident almost immediately to the Guardia Civil in Palmanova, but for the past two days, the Guardia Civil have had no luck in locating the suspect and fear that he may have slipped off the island.

The investigators have learnt that the millionaire Briton regularly travelled to Dubai and other foreign countries on business and are not ruling out the possibility that he has fled to one of his business destinations.

The wife told the police that her husband also owned a luxury yacht in Puerto Portals but the Guardia Civil found no trace of him on board during a search carried out on Monday afternoon. Investigators have also visited the suspect's most popular bars, restaurants and cafes in a bid to discover if anyone has seen or heard of him since Monday, but last night there still appeared to be no trace of the man.

The Guardia Civil have carefully searched the property where the suspect houses an impressive collection of cars and they have built up a very good description of their suspect.

A photofit has been sent to all ports of exit should he still be in the Balearics or on mainland Spain.
Apparently, this is not the first time a domestic incident has been reported at the mansion,.
A few years ago the Guardia Civil had to respond when a violent argument occurred on the property and both husband and wife apparently needed medical attention. Yesterday the Guardia Civil were trying to establish if the wife had been the victim of any other incidents of physical abuse on behalf of her husband in recent months. Sources close to the investigation said that the victim was extremely shaken up and worried that her husband might return.

The case has been handed over to the courts which will decide shortly if an international arrest warrant needs to be ordered.