A man has been interviewed over perjury allegations in connection to the investigation into the death of British woman Stacey Tierney, who was found dead in a Melbourne strip club in December.
Police said on Wednesday the 33-year-old Ascot Vale man would be charged via summons after he was interviewed and released on Tuesday night.
In a statement, Victoria Police said the arrest was “as part of an ongoing investigation into the death of a 29-year-old woman on 19 December 2016”.
“The man was interviewed in relation to perjury and has been released pending summons,” police said. “The investigation into the matter continues and anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.”
Tierney, 29, was found dead in Dreams Gentlemen’s Club on Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, on 19 December, after apparently lying undiscovered for up to 12 hours.
She worked at the club and according to family members had hosted a private event after closing time for a group of men the night before.
Early reports suggested she was not alone when she died. The cause of her death is still unknown.
Police have been interviewing potential witnesses and reviewing CCTV from both the club and cameras at the nearby entrance to Flinders Street Station in an attempt to piece together what happened to Tierney, who had been travelling and working in Australia for three years.
A former employee of the club said in January that there were CCTV cameras throughout the club, including in the private dance rooms.
In January, a spokesperson from Victoria Police said her death would be subject to a coronial investigation, usually reserved for deaths that are either not considered a homicide or cannot be resolved through a homicide investigation.
Tierney’s funeral was held in Manchester in late January after her family crowdfunded the cost of repatriating her body.
Her uncle, Graham Tierney, told News Corp the mystery around her death made it even more difficult for her family.
“What I heard was that it was a private party inside the establishment when it would be normally closed and these alleged several men fled the scene without raising any concerns,” he said. “Then where were the staff [who] I assume would be serving them and who authorised the party? Surely the owners must know?”
Guardian Australia is not suggesting the owners of the club were involved in her death.
