A man who had been due to stand trial for a second time accused of murdering his mother 19 years ago has been found dead in Spain.

Sean Flynn, 38, was expected to appear at the High Court in Livingston accused of murdering Louise Tiffney in 2002 but failed to arrive and a warrant for his arrest was issued on Tuesday.

He had been due to stand trial again after being cleared in 2005.

In a statement, his solicitor Aamer Anwar said he was advised on Friday morning that Flynn “was according to the police found dead in Spain, after taking his own life”.

He added: “Until recently Mr Flynn had resided in Berlin.

“Any loss of life is a tragedy, Sean Flynn’s next of kin has been informed and there will be no further comment.”

Louise Tiffney death
Louise Tiffney was 43 when she disappeared (Police Scotland/PA)

Ms Tiffney, 43, disappeared after leaving her home in Dean Path, Edinburgh, in May 2002.

Her remains were found near a stately home in Longniddry, East Lothian, in April 2017.

Flynn had been due to stand trial accused of murdering his mother and attempting to defeat the ends of justice by putting her body in the boot of a car, driving to a wooded area and disposing of it.

At a previous hearing in January, the QC representing him said Flynn denied the charges.

Flynn was cleared of murdering his mother by a jury following a trial in 2005, having denied the charge against him.

Prosecutors applied for permission for a retrial under double jeopardy legislation, which came into force in 2011 and allows a person to be retried for a crime for which they were previously acquitted.

Body discovery site
Louise Tiffney’s remains were found near a stately home in Longniddry, East Lothian, in April 2017 (PA)

Judges had quashed the previous verdict and authorised a fresh prosecution.

A Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) spokesman said: “COPFS are aware of the reports concerning the death of Sean Flynn and are awaiting official confirmation from the Spanish authorities.”

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We were notified by Spanish police on Thursday October 21 about the death of a 38-year-old man in the Alicante region.

“Formal identification is still to be carried out however the family of Sean Flynn have been informed.

“We will continue to work with the Spanish police to establish the full circumstances, but at this time the death is not believed to be suspicious.”