A man believed by the police to have been murdered in a Co Antrim seaside resort was visiting from England and got into an argument with his attacker hours before his death, police have said.
The victim has been named as 46-year-old Paul Rowlands, a father-of-five and grandfather-of-one from the Cambridge area who was on an “extended stay” in Portrush. He was planning to return home at the end of this month having arrived in early June.
A 39-year-old man has been arrested following the attack in the Bath Terrace area of the town in the early hours of Sunday,July 17.
In an appeal for witnesses on Tuesday, a senior Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer said Mr Rowlands’ family had been informed of his death and were “devastated”.
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He confirmed they were treating it as murder.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness said: “I am appealing for anyone who was in the Bath Terrace area who witnessed any argument or disagreement or anything that they believe might be relevant to come forward and speak to police.
“We believe that Paul and another male were drinking in the area of Bath Terrace on the benches on the evening of Saturday and subsequently there was an argument and an assault took place round about midnight.”
Mr Rowlands was found by a member of the public at about 2.20am. Ambulance crews attended and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The senior police officer also asked anyone living in apartments close to the seafront and who may have left the area before detectives carried out interviews to come forward.
“We believe Paul was in the area over the past few weeks and would have stayed in or around the seafront. Anyone who is aware of his movements in the weeks leading up to his death, we would like to hear from.
“I believe Paul was in the company of another male and there was some sort of verbal disagreement which was overheard by some people we have already spoken to and there was an exchange of blows and Paul has died on the ground.”
SDLP MLA Cara Hunter said the local community has been devastated.
“We welcome thousands of tourists here every single year, we’re very family friendly, so to hear that something like this has happened right on our doorstep, people are really shocked,” she said.
“I would urge anybody who’s listening, who’s watching, who knows anything, who witnessed anything to please come forward.”
