Irish man arrested over alleged assault in Portugal found dead in cell

Man (29) had been arrested in Albufeira, southern Algarve, over alleged serious assault on woman

The man was arrested in Albufeira, a popular destination for Irish holidaymakers in southern Algarve. Photograph: Getty

An Irish man has been found dead while in custody in Portugal after allegations he had seriously assaulted a woman with whom he had travelled to the country.

It is understood the deceased is a 29-year-old from the northwest of the Republic.

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

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

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The man was arrested in Albufeira, a popular destination for Irish holidaymakers in southern Algarve. While in custody, he was found dead in his cell on Wednesday morning, though news of his death emerged on Thursday.

While details of the case were continuing to emerge, it appears the man, from the Republic, was arrested on Tuesday over the alleged serious assault.

Conor Lally

Conor Lally

Conor Lally is Security and Crime Editor of The Irish Times