A MAN accused of murdering John George and dumping his body under a lemon tree in Rojales has been granted bail if he pays a €100,000 bond.
Jonathan ‘Jonny’ Alan Smyth, 27, from County Antrim, fled Spain following Mr. George’s disappearance last December.
John George’s family reported him missing in mid-December after he went on holiday to the Orihuela Costa, where he stayed with Smyth.
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His body was found on January 7 with the 37-year-old Belfast father-of-two stripped naked and stabbed in the legs to disable him before being shot twice.
Smyth was tracked down to an Airbnb apartment in Braga, Portugal where he was arrested on March 25.
He had been staying there with his 20-year-old wife, Madison.
Smyth was extradited to Spain the following month and jailed by a Torrevieja court ahead of his trial.
Now a judge has agreed to a request from his two lawyers for bail, which was opposed by prosecutors.
The Informacion newspaper reported that the ruling was made on Monday.
The judge stated that though there was sufficient evidence to keep the homicide charge against Smyth, he said that custody was no longer essential to guarantee his court availability.
He added that suitable measures could be imposed to avoid him being a flight risk.
Smyth would have to report daily to court and establish a residence in Spain.
His passport would be removed and he would be banned from leaving the country- without prior authorisation.
The bail terms also include a one-kilometre distancing order which prevents him from approaching anybody else involved in the case.
Informacion reported that as of Wednesday, the €100k bond had not yet been paid amid suggestions that Smyth is struggling to raise the money.
A 33-year-old Czech national was arrested and bailed in January as an alleged accomplice in the crime.
Smyth’s lawyers argued in their bail application that the other suspect, Michal M. was freed after his arrest.
They have queried his statements that he claimed to know virtually nothing about John George and said that he was the last person to see him alive.
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