A Northern Irish man suspected of murdering Belfast father-of-two John George will remain in custody after a Spanish judge rejected a new bail application.
Johnny Smyth’s defence offered to increase his bail bond to €150,000 – approximately £127,450 – in an attempt to secure his release. However, the court in Torrevieja refused the request after concluding that he continued to present a flight risk.
Smyth, from Newtownabbey, is being held in Spain while the investigation into George’s death proceeds. His trial is reportedly expected to begin in January 2027.
George, 37, disappeared during a visit to the Costa Blanca in December 2024. His family became concerned when he failed to board his flight home on 18 December, prompting relatives and friends to travel to Alicante to assist with an extensive search.
His body was discovered in a field near Rojales on 7 January 2025, several weeks after his disappearance. Spanish authorities subsequently opened a murder investigation.
Smyth was located at an apartment in Braga, Portugal, in March 2025 and extradited to Spain the following month. He was initially held on remand before being granted release on a €100,000 bond in December 2025.
That bail decision required him to surrender his passport, remain in Spain, report regularly to the authorities and observe restrictions preventing him from approaching other people connected with the investigation.
However, his release was revoked by a Torrevieja court in April 2026. The decision followed a hearing at which the court examined social-media material allegedly posted by Smyth and his wife concerning the George family.
The judge accused Smyth of showing disrespect towards the justice system and ordered him back into custody. He was also expected to forfeit the €100,000 bond deposited to secure his earlier release.
His lawyers have now made a further attempt to obtain his release by offering a substantially higher financial guarantee. Despite the proposed increase to €150,000, the judge decided that the risk of Smyth leaving Spain or failing to appear for future proceedings could not be adequately addressed through bail conditions.
The ruling means Smyth will remain in a Spanish prison as preparations continue for the expected murder trial.
George’s death has attracted considerable attention in Northern Ireland and on the Costa Blanca. His family had travelled to Spain in large numbers to help search for him and has continued to follow the investigation and court proceedings closely.
Smyth remains a suspect but has not yet been convicted of George’s murder. The allegations against him will ultimately be determined by the Torrevieja court.
