European arrest warrant issued for paedophile – April 2020
A European Arrest Warrant has been issued for Michael Ronald Williams, the convicted paedophile who was accused of sexually abusing a child while she was eight and nine and living on Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.
Regular readers may recall that we previously reported on the prosecution’s request and subsequent sentencing.
As before, we won’t include the full and horrific details of the abuse out of respect for the young victim and her family, although the court and the Spanish press chose to cover them in some depth during the legal process.
Williams sentenced
Williams was sentenced by the Sixth Section of The Provincial Court at the end of July 2018 for sexually abusing the daughter of his girlfriend in Costa Teguise on Lanzarote.
In addition to being sentenced to five years in prison, Williams was also banned from approaching the young girl within a 200 metre limit, or contacting her in any way for six years. In addition he was ordered to compensate the young girl with €20000, and to be on probation upon his eventual release from prison. He is also banned from any activities involved with minors as well as the mandatory participation in special programs for paedophiles.
Williams denied the charges
Williams appealed against the ruling (he has insisted upon his innocence from the beginning of the investigation) but this appeal was dismissed, based on evidence and testimonies gained during the entire process.
Williams, who had a relationship with the mother of the child between December 2012 and May 2014, and who lived with said mother and daughter in Costa Teguise, Lanzarote, has denied touching the child, or asking the child to touch him sexually – as the young victim maintained. The court heard evidence from the child, and from professionals who interviewed her to assess her reliability – as the defendant maintained that it was fiction.
The conviction was confirmed on January 23 2020, although the location of Williams was unknown at that time… and the process began for the issuance of the European Arrest Warrant.
European Arrest Warrant issued
The European Arrest Warrant was then issued on April 1 2020 by the Provincial Court, ordering the search, arrest and immediate imprisonment. According the warrant (which Spain Buddy has been given access to), the order is Europe-wide at this time. This now gives the police in the UK the power to arrest Williams, despite his no longer being on the island of Lanzarote.
Members of the young victim’s family have described to Spain Buddy how, during the investigation and court case, they were targeted by vicious rumours and speculation, causing extreme and unnecessary duress to them – adding to an already harrowing ordeal for all concerned. We at Spain Buddy also received criticism for covering the court case at all. Needless to say, we stand by our decision to report the progression of the court case and make no apology for the publication of facts surrounding the case.
To date he has not been located. According to sources in contact with Spain Buddy, Williams has been living and working in the Stoke on Trent area of the UK since sentencing. This may or may not still be the case.
A new beginning for the family
The young girl and her mother have since started rebuilding their lives again, and the young girl is doing well despite her ordeal. Spain Buddy is in regular contact with the girl’s mother and wish them both all the very best for the future.
The family is in contact with police in the Stoke on Trent area, and are hoping that he arrested soon and made to fulfil his sentence.
Can you help?
If you have any information that may lead to the capture and subsequent imprisonment of Michael Ronald Williams, please contact the police directly.
Please also share this article in any relevant Facebook Groups and your Social Media. All it takes is one person who knows of his location – and the police can go ahead and get him off the streets.
Links to corresponding articles in Spanish
Elle Draper
Elle, along with Alan, is the owner of Spain Buddy and the busy web design business - Gandy-Draper. Born a "Norverner", she then spent most of her life "Dann Saff" before moving to Spain in 2006. Elle's loves are Alan, the internet, their three bouncing dogs, good food, and dry white wine - although not necessarily in that order.
