Police in Spain have arrested a British man over the suspected murder of an Irishman at a Costa del Sol pub in the early hours of this morning.
Detectives say the victim was killed after being stabbed with a broken bottle in the men's toilets at Pogs Old Irish Rock Pub in the holiday resort of Fuengirola, near Malaga in Spain.
The suspected killer is 49 and lives in nearby Mijas, but the dead man, 53 - believed to be from Dublin - was on holiday.
One told police the victim had been stabbed in the neck with a broken bottle by surprise from behind as he was urinating - and had no chance to defend himself.
The witness told detectives the victim followed his attacker to the door of the pub before collapsing in a pool of blood.
Another well-placed source said: “The suspected attacker showed no signs of emotion either immediately after his arrest or once he was in police cells.”
As well as his partner, the victim is thought to have been on holiday with his two children, who had stayed behind at their holiday apartment.
A well-placed source said: “It appears the attacker was pestering the Irish holidaymaker and his partner and at one point the Irishman asked him politely to stop.
“There was no real argument, he was just saying he didn’t want to be bothered and wanted to carry on enjoying himself with his friends.
“He had gone to the men’s toilet and was having a wee when he was attacked.
"He died at the door of the pub after trying to stop his attacker from fleeing before collapsing.”
A spokesman for Spain’s National Police said: “National Police officers have arrested a 49-year-old British man in Malaga in the early hours of this morning over his suspected involvement in the death of an Irishman aged 53 at a pub in the town.
“The victim received cuts to his neck and other parts of his body with a broken beer bottle.
“The incident occurred around 1.50am in the toilets of the Irish pub.
“Police have established from inquiries that the victim and attacker didn’t know each other."
Spanish cops said that according to initial inquiries, the attacker "took an interest in several women inside the pub, including the partner of the victim".
They said that "at one point" the man who was killed spoke to the attacker and that the victim "was allegedly attacked by surprise in the men's toilets".
Police said the victim received several wounds, including some to the neck.
According to the cops, the attacker tried to flee "but was stopped from doing so by security staff".
Police added that a British man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently being held at Fuengirola police station.
They said that "medical responders could do nothing to save the victim, who died at the scene".
