Face of Nation : A British man has been arrested in Spain over the murder of an Irish tourist at a Costa del Sol pub in the early hours of this morning.
John Pender, 53, staggered from the men’s toilet clutching at his throat after allegedly being attacked with a broken beer bottle before collapsing at the door of the pub in the popular holiday resort of Fuengirola in front of his horrified wife and friends.
A 49-year-old Briton named locally as Leigh Anthony Gardiner, was held at the scene and is due to appear in court tomorrow for questioning.
Police confirmed he had been arrested on suspicion of murder – ‘asesinato’ in Spanish – following a ‘surprise attack’ on father-of-two Mr Pender after he had politely told his suspected assailant to stop bothering his wife and the partner of his friend.
Well-placed sources said witnesses had told the police the dead man was targeted with two broken beer bottles as he was urinating and had no chance to defend himself as he was stabbed several times in the neck and body.
One of the blows is believed to have severed his jugular vein.
Police who happened to be passing by the pub where the crime occurred just before 2am this morning, the Pogs Old Irish Rock Pub, tried to save the tourist’s life but he bled to death in front of them.
He was on holiday with his partner and two children, who are understood to have been sleeping at their holiday apartment nearby when the murder took place.
A source close to the investigation said the suspect had no criminal record in Spain and was a chef at a well-known Costa del Sol hotel resort.
He was said to be on his own for a few days because his wife and children had gone on a foreign holiday. It is not yet known if they are aware of his arrest.
The witness told detectives the victim followed his attacker to the door of the pub before collapsing in a pool of blood.
Although the attack was not captured on CCTV, the suspect is thought to have been filmed going into the men’s toilet shortly before Mr Pender emerged bleeding from his neck.
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.’
After the attack the alleged killer was said to have tried to flee the scene but was stopped by door staff at the pub.
A spokesman for Spain’s National Police confirmed the two men did not know each other and the suspect had taken ‘interest in several women inside the pub’, including the partner of the victim.
The spokesman, who declined to officially name the dead man or the suspect, added: ‘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.
According to initial inquiries, the suspect took an interest in several women inside the pub, including the partner of the victim.
‘At one point the man who was killed spoke to the suspect. The victim was allegedly attacked by surprise in the mens’ toilets.
‘The arrested man, who allegedly had two broken bottles in each hand, is suspected of inflicting several wounds on his victim, including some to the neck.
‘He tried to flee the scene afterwards but was stopped from doing so by security staff and subsequently arrested by police in the area.
‘Medical responders could do nothing to save the victim, who died at the scene.
‘The British man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently being held at Fuengirola police station.’
It is not known at this stage where in Ireland the dead man is from. As well as his partner, he is thought to have been on holiday with his two children who had stayed behind at their holiday apartment.
A well-placed source added: ‘It appears the arrested man 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.’
Investigators probing the crime are understood to have reached the early conclusion the attacker followed his victim into the toilet after waiting for the ideal moment to strike.
A spokesman for the British Foreign Office told MailOnline: ‘We have been informed by the Spanish police of the arrest of a British man in Fuengirola, and have offered consular assistance.’
One witness has said the suspect was ‘vigilant and expectant’ after being asked to leave the four Irish holidaymakers alone the second time round, and was seen following his alleged victim into the bathroom after breaking two beer bottles.
No-one was immediately available for comment this afternoon at the pub where the crime occurred – a popular live music bar which only opens late afternoon.
Police have 72 hours under Spanish law to take suspects to court after their arrest, but well-placed sources confirmed the British man is due to appear in court this morning.
