The former speaker of the Catalan parliament is appearing at Spain's Supreme Court over her role in the region's push for independence.

Judges may decide to remand Carme Forcadell and five former lawmakers in custody on charges of sedition, rebellion and misuse of public funds.

Eight sacked members of the Catalan government are already being held in detention in a parallel investigation.

Spain's Constitutional Court ruled the Catalan bid for independence illegal.

The country has been gripped by a crisis since a referendum on independence from Spain was held in Catalonia on 1 October in defiance of the central government in Madrid.