British pensioner who retired to France was murdered by neighbour after she asked for Sellotape

A British woman’s dream retirement in rural France ended in her murder when a psychotic neighbour killed her after she asked to borrow some Sellotape, a court has heard.

Susan Higginbotham, 67, was found dead in September 2021 at her home in Esclottes, a village of just 150 people around 35 miles east of Bordeaux.

She had been attacked by her neighbour, Hichame Bahloul, 42, who on Wednesday was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The court was told he wanted to be sent to jail for life to get away from his family.

The Lot-et-Garonne assize court heard Ms Higginbotham had asked Bahloul for some Sellotape before he attacked her.

Before that, she was reportedly on polite speaking terms with him, and there were no reports of conflicts between them.

Bahloul told the court that he went to Ms Higginbotham’s house with some “cord”, which he used to strangle her before punching and kicking her in the chest.

Killer took pleasure in violence

The killer reportedly suffers from several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, and has spent many years in psychiatric hospital care. He attacked many people during that time, including patients and nursing staff. “He took pleasure in it,” said the prosecution.

But at the time of the fatal attack, he had been back living with his parents in Esclottes for six months. He said after he killed Ms Higginbotham that he had committed murder as a way to get away from his family and to be jailed.

Bahloul’s lawyer said: “I have a client who feels safe in prison and wants to stay there. He struggles with freedom.”

The state prosecutor demanded a life sentence after Bahloul told the court: “If you let me out, I’ll do it again.”

One of Ms Higginbotham’s friends, who travelled from the UK to testify, told the court: “Sue was a very pleasant person, she took care of people a lot, and was very open.

“She had had a successful career, as a financial director, then as a company representative; she had worked very hard.

“She really wanted to be happy in France when she moved in 2016, and I think she was. She was living her dream. She was funny. I miss her a lot.”