Irishman arrested in Portugal for alleged assault found dead in cell – The Irish Times

An Irish man has been found dead in custody in Portugal. He was accused of seriously assaulting a woman with whom he had travelled to the country.

It is assumed that the deceased is a 29-year-old from the northwest of the republic.

The woman he allegedly attacked is also in her late 20s. They knew each other well and were believed to have travelled to Portugal together for a visit when the complaint of alleged assault was filed.

The State Department said it was “aware of the case and is providing consular assistance.” It added: “As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the specifics of individual cases.”

The man was arrested in Albufeira, a popular destination for Irish holidaymakers in the southern Algarve. While in custody, he was found dead in his cell on Wednesday morning, but news of his death only came to light on Thursday.

As more details of the case emerged, it appears that the Republic man was arrested on Tuesday for alleged grievous bodily harm.