Neighbour murdered briton in france after she asked to borrow tape

THE 67-YEAR-OLD HAD MOVED TO FRANCE IN 2016 AND WAS ‘LIVING HER DREAM’ A man who murdered a British woman at her home in south-west France has been sentenced to life in prison this week by a

court in Agen (Lot-et-Garonne). Hicham Bahloul confessed to strangling 67-year-old retiree Susan Higginbotham in her home in Esclottes, Lot-et-Garonne (Nouvelle-Aquitaine) in 2021. He is

said to have ‘snapped’ and become enraged after Ms Higginbotham reportedly asked him to borrow adhesive tape several times in one day. She was later found strangled to death. It later

emerged that Mr Bahloul had entered Ms Higginbotham’s house with intent to kill her. NO PREVIOUS REPORTED CONFLICTS Bahloul, 42, who reportedly suffers from several psychiatric disorders,

including schizophrenia, has spent many years in psychiatric hospital care. Ms Higginbotham was described at the trial by a friend as happy, smiley, funny, and a good friend, who loved life

and was “living her dream” in France, which she “adored”. She was reportedly on polite speaking terms with Bahloul, and there were no reports of conflicts between them. The court heard that

Bahloul, who was living with his parents at the time of the murder, had reportedly cut all contact with his family, and had even threatened them. He said that he committed murder as another

way to put even more distance between himself and his family members, and to remain in jail. Bahloul’s lawyer has admitted that it was the first time he had seen such a situation “in 27

years of my career”. He said: “I have a client who feels safe in prison, and wants to stay there. He struggles with freedom.” One of Ms Higginbotham’s good friends from England was present

and spoke about the victim’s move to France in 2016. She TOLD OUEST FRANCE: “She often asked me: ‘Am I making the right decision?’, and I replied: ‘Absolutely’.” Her brother, who lives in

the UK, was unable to be at the trial due to poor health. The state prosecutor demanded a life sentence for Bahloul, who told the court: “if you let me out I’ll do it again.” On Wednesday,

the court in Agen sentenced Bahloul to life. READ ALSO SHOCK AND TRIBUTES AFTER BRITISH GIRL, 11, SHOT DEAD IN FRENCH HAMLET DEATH OF BRITISH COUPLE IN SOUTH FRANCE: MURDER INVESTIGATION

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