Wife of 'gunman who killed Brit schoolgirl' angrily yells 'leave me in peace'
This is the moment the wife of alleged murderer Dirk Raats appeared at their rural home today as her husband is charged with murder.
Marlene Van Hook, 69, spent the day tending to the farmhouse she shares with her husband Dirk, 71, in the sleepy hamlet of Saint-Herbot, Brittany.
When approached by The Mirror for comment she responded angrily, wailing "Leave me in peace [go away]" in French before adding “No comment” in English.
She was arrested on Saturday night alongside her husband after the brutal shooting of schoolgirl Solaine Thornton, 11.
Raats has been charged with the murder of Solaine and the attempted murders of her parents Adrian and Rachael Thornton.
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Marlene Van Hook, 69, the wife of suspected child killer Dirk Raats, wailed to "leave her in peace" as she was approached by The Mirror (Daily Mirror)Neighbour Raats, 71, allegedly shot little Solaine while she was on her garden swing in northern France.
It is also alleged that Raats severely wounded her parents Adrian and Rachael Thornton, aged 52 and 49.
The pair remain in intensive care in Brest with Mr Thornton’s condition described as ‘critical’, and Mrs Thornton’s ‘stable’.
Little sister Celeste Thornton, eight, who raised the alarm is also in hospital, and under heavy sedation.
Van Hook was arrested and charged with trying to conceal two weapons following the horrific shooting, after which she allegedly barricaded herself in her house with her husband.
Raats is originally from Antwerp in Belgium (Nicholas Razzell)She was released yesterday and today was seen going about her daily chores on their land just moments after a large team of investigators had searched the property.
After refusing to speak she sped off in the green Landrover her husband was often seen in driving through the village.
Neighbours in the village have claimed Raats was said to be furious that the Thorntons, who are originally from the Manchester area, had cleared the land of oak trees to install play equipment including swings.
Villagers added that the Thornton family may now never return to their idyllic home after the horror shooting.
But a friend and neighbour in the small town told The Mirror how villagers were already rallying round for little Celeste.
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The friend, who did not want to be named, said: “They have spent so much time working on that house, it is absurd someone trying to make their house look better could trigger someone to such a degree that he would try and kill them and tragic they may never want to go back there again.”
Van Hook was taken into custody on suspcion of weapon concealment charges (Daily Mirror)Their friend, who has known the family since 2019, said: “Everybody is heartbroken, most people have kids, it hits home more because kids should be able to play in their gardens without fear of getting shot.
“The parents in the village have been rallying round trying to work out what it is we can do tell him from here.
“It's so safe here, maybe like Britain was 40 or 50 years ago, you don't worry that people pop next door to talk to neighbours.
“Our little girl is three and she runs about freely and goes to see the neighbours, playing outdoors on her own.
“The parents in the village have been rallying round trying to work out what it is we can do tell him from here.
“When they do get out of hospital they are going to need help in so many ways and we are going to be here to offer it.
Little Solaine Thornton was gunned down while enjoying a barbecue with her family (Facebook)
Her parents Rachael and Adrian sustained serious injuries and are now in hospital (Facebook)She added: “They were very much involved with animals and several people have stepped in to take care of their animals in recent days.
“The village is the kind of place where people help each other all the time, it is quite remarkable.”
Arguments reportedly first reached boiling point around three years ago, when Raats complained that his privacy was threatened, and allegedly pointed a weapon at the Thorntons.
A minute’s silence is due to be held by Solaine's schoolmates later the Jean Jaurès College, in the Brittany town of Huelgoat.
Raats appeared at the Brest Criminal Court on Monday evening, where he seemed to be in a trance as he said in broken French: "It's so horrible what happened – I don't understand it."
A forensic officer at the crime scene (jeanmarcmorandini.com)This was not the first gun-related incident between the neighbours, and just three years ago Raats allegedly pointed his firearm at the British family.
Raats was said to be furious that the Thorntons, who are originally from the Manchester area, had cleared the land of oak trees to install play equipment including swings.
Marguerite Bleuzen, Mayor of Plonévez-du-Faou, which covers Saint-Herbot, confirmed there had been "some trouble with a neighbour dispute’ between the two families since at least 2020.
"I intervened with my deputies when we were elected," she said. "There was a problem with the land around their properties, and with noise pollution – it started from there."
Following the official intervention three years ago, there had been "no emergency," but Ms Bleuzen was aware that arguments continued to simmer.
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