Father Fought Thirty Years to Get the Facts on How His Daughter Died in Saudi Arabia
Helen Smith 23, from Yorkshire, was employed as a nurse in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Both she and Dutch captain Johannes Otten had allegedly fallen from a 70-foot-high balcony while in a sexual act on may 20th, 1979.
Helen's father, 83-year-old Ron Smith, a former policeman who served in the British army for six years, does not accept the circumstances officials have described, believing it to be a high-rank cover-up involving Saudi and Thatcher’s then government.
In every case, including his daughters, he has a mindset in dealing with crime; he says his emotions are not a consideration at all and wants accurate information. Mr. Smith told the BBC that he has gathered a lot of data proving his suspicions.
his daughter to have a funeral he was holding out for all these years to get a closure to this case. He is now very weak and in poor health and thirty years of his life has been consumed by this case. I hope someone will carry this fight on I for one want the truth.
He spoke to the BBC News from his home in Guiseley, Leeds, saying: "A young person grows up, is conscripted into the Army, then when he comes out he is full of the joys of spring. "You then go into the police force, you get married, you do the right thing and fight for yourself. "You have four children, all who are educated well, and there you are thinking, this is what it´s all about, and then all of a sudden my daughter dies."
Needs to acept this death and have is daughter buried. There is absolutely nothing, that is going to come out of Saudi Kingdom, especialy from that Era of our beloved Iron Lady.
30 years!? That is some seriously suffering. He needs to let go and care for his own health now, which is probably damaged even further from this event.
I have a few questions if you know the answers. Was she his only daughter? What number out of the 4 children was she?
I feel so very sorry for this man, how terrible to have your child die and the reason given is so unusual and dramatic. To consume your whole life trying to find answers that may or may not be true. This is a case of heartbreak for anyone that doubts its truth. I can´t imagine the hurt his wife and children have went through and any grandchildren he might have. Way too sad.
Please do not search a lot for my sake. I was just wondering because he seemed to take it so strong I was thinking it was either the baby of the family or the only daughter.
I am glad she can be laid to rest finally and hopefully Mr. Smith will be able to accept that she really isn´t coming back. If he does he might be able o repair the issues with his living children. I don´t see this happening, but it is a nice thought.
That was hilarious! @Tara. All I could trace was he has what was described as his eldest son in a later report and no mention if they were of a similar age, I don´t recall the family being mentioned at that time.
the law being changed in 82 yet can’t really have much of an effect not when dealing with certain countries so we don´t have many successful out comes with the justice between UK and abroad. The big kids have more toys and they really do not know how to play with them properly. Plus the fact Mr. Smith believed they was some sort of deal between Saudi and England. I really must research because I am sure a few other names were brought up ink some party was mentioned. But if there is something this county does not want you to know, it will be very difficult to find. I wonder what the DNA will be showing.
there are two different stories of where her body was found. There was talk about of an ex pat party, so I recalled rightly. Her father believed she was beaten and raped from evidence he has collected. He is an ex cop and ex army so no fool!
Saudi investigators said Helen Smith was found “dead in the street” the morning after she attended a party in Jeddah city on May 20, 1979. Officials concluded that “she had died after she accidentally fell from a balcony. “ So which was it?
H.W.- Well you know it isn´t that simple, what is or was easy would have been to help his other children with their loss and build stronger relationships with them. I know they were adults when this happened, but hell they are his kids and what about grandchildren? They could have been something for him to grab onto also.
Jane- Bless you lady, you didn´t have to go out of your way thank you my friend. If there is just a mention about an eldest son then I would bet she was the baby of the family or his only daughter. A relationship between a girl and her dad is something people won´t understand unless they are part of one. For an answer to which was it Jane I can only guess, I would say that at first they weren´t sure how she got there so they released that she was found dead in the street. Once the autopsy was performed and others contacted they said she had fallen from the balcony while having sex. The part I question is if she and the Dutch captain Johannes Otten both fell why was there no mention of that to the families right away?
Her father has always insisted that forensic evidence could help to prove that their daughter, who was 23, was murdered rather than falling accidentally from a balcony during or after drunken sex.
Her body was found six floors below the balcony of a flat where a consultant, Richard Arnot, and his wife, Penny, hosted a party. Next to Smith, impaled on a spiked fence, was the body of a Dutch tugboat captain, Johannes Otten, 35, who had allegedly been with Helen just before the tragedy.
The incident developed into an international furore as increasingly grubby details of the party emerged. Allegations were made that Saudi guests were present but never named, and Penny Arnot was sentenced to a public lashing for unlawful intercourse with a New Zealand diver, although this was never carried out.
Well a fall from 6 floors can cause damage just as one from 70. It sorta sounds like there was some dirty stuff going on at that party. Hell Johannes could have stuck up for her when someone started to get too friendly and both were disposed of.
I don´t know if they will find anything out, but it is too bad her dad couldn´t somehow put it behind him and live a normal life :(
That stands for most of us with families, if we can´t protect our children the very least we want is the people that end their lives to be put put before a court of law.
