40-year-old Asen Simeonov from the village of Konstantinovo remains in custody, the Varna District Court decided, BNT reports. The magistrates determined the most severe measure of detention - "detention in custody". Simeonov is accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home on June 30, beating her and kidnapping her 11-year-old daughter Natalia. After that, he went into hiding for 24 days, wandering through forested areas in the Varna and Shumen regions.
The man was detained two days ago in the village of Ovcharovo while attempting to steal from a local store. The child was found near the place of detention and, according to information from law enforcement agencies, was in good physical and health condition. During the court hearing, Asen Simeonov stated that he regretted his actions and that he had taken care of Natalia the whole time.
The court motivated its decision by stating that the accused has multiple convictions that have entered into force, has no permanent address and there is a real danger that he will abscond or commit a new crime. The ruling of the Varna District Court is subject to appeal.