British man charged with killing wife and baby

A British man charged with killing his wife and baby must remain locked up without bail, a judge ruled Tuesday, denying Neil Entwistle's request that he be allowed to return to his parents' home in England pending his trial in the double slaying.

Photo: British man charged with killing wife and baby

Entwistle, 28, is accused of shooting his wife, Rachel, 27, and their 9-month-old daughter, Lillian, on Jan. 20 after becoming despondent over rising debts and dissatisfaction with his sex life. Entwistle flew to Britain after the shootings, where he was arrested in February and returned to Massachusetts to stand trial.

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Peter Lauriat denied the motion for bail.

Entwistle's lawyer, Elliot Weinstein, had argued the court could set strict conditions for Entwistle's release to ensure his return to the United States for trial. Weinstein proposed that Entwistle be turned over to the custody of his parents in Worksop, England, where he would be confined to their home 24 hours a day and have to wear a global positioning device to track his movements at all times. His parents offered to post their home as collateral for his bail and risked losing the house if he violated conditions of his release.

Weinstein also argued that Entwistle had no prior criminal record and would not pose a danger to anyone if released, reports AP.

Weinstein did not immediately return a call for comment Tuesday.

The trial is expected to start in April. If convicted, Entwistle faces a mandatory life sentence; Massachusetts does not have a death penalty.