Corpse-flight women bailed again

TWO Oldham women accused of trying to smuggle a dead relative on to a plane have been rebailed by police.

Gitta Jarant (66) and her daughter, Anke Anusic (41), from Franklin Close, Coldhurst, were arrested in April as they tried to board a flight to Berlin with the corpse of Mrs Jarant’s husband. They were held at Liverpool John Lennon Airport when it was discovered that Kurt “Willi” Jarant was dead.

The 91–year–old had been put in a wheelchair and his eyes covered with sunglasses as the pair made their way through the airport. Staff became suspicious and alerted the authorities.

It was claimed they were trying to smuggle the body back to his homeland to avoid repatriation fees — but the women strongly deny this.

They insisted he was alive when they got a taxi from their home to the airport.

A post–mortem examination concluded that Mr Jarant died from organ failure up to 12 hours before he was pronounced dead. The women were questioned by police on suspicion of failing to give notification of a death before being released on bail until yesterday.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said that bail had been extended until July 12 while further inquiries were being carried out.