A man arrested in connection with the death of a student in Greece will appear before an investigating judge today to hear if charges will be brought against him.
The Irishman, 20, who was not known to Niall O’Brien, was arrested on the island of Ios following the 22-year-old’s death last Monday.
Niall, from Limerick, who was on holiday with a group of 20 friends, died from serious head injuries following an alleged altercation with another man in the town of Chora.
A police spokeswoman said: “On August 30, a 20-year old Irish citizen was arrested by police in Ios because another Irish citizen, 22, died.”
It is alleged Mr O’Brien was punched and “hit his head as he fell on the ground”. He died later in hospital.
She added that the 20-year old Irish man was arrested and is due to testify before the judicial investigator today.
The spokeswoman said the investigator will “decide if [the suspect] will go to jail before his trial or if he will have restrictive [bail] measures imposed or if he will go free”. Police have ordered a forensic examination of the scene and an autopsy as part of their enquiries.
Mr O’Brien was a star hurler with Broadford GAA in South East Clare, and a member and employee of Castletroy Golf Club in Limerick.
Paying tribute, his GAA club said: “It is with a broken heart that Broadford Hurling Club are in deep mourning at the sad passing of one of our great characters and players, Niall O’Brien.”
A family friend added: “Niall was a brilliant sportsman, he was a serious hurler, he was huge into golf and GAA, soccer, everything really.”
The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust was liaising with the Mr O’Brien’s family about organising repatriation of his remains for burial, and the Department of Foreign Affairs said it was providing “consular assistance” to his family.
