Irish man in court over Villa death
An Irish man was due to appear in court after his his wife was found battered to death at a holiday villa on the Costa Blanca in Spain, it emerged tonight.
The 28-year-old Dublin man was arrested by police after the woman was found lying in a pool of blood in the living room of the home early on Sunday.
He has been named locally as Paul Hickey and is believed to be from Dublin’s north inner city. It is understood he will appear in court tomorrow.
Police were called to the villa at the Marina Oasis de San Fulgencio holiday complex early following a disturbance.
Three children, two boys, aged one and eight, and a girl, aged five, were also believed to have been in the house at the time of the attack.
The family were regular visitors to the peaceful holiday spot near Torrevieja which is popular with both British and Irish tourists. They had been staying in the villa for the last two months.
Neighbours in the estate reported the couple fighting and arguing on several occasions after heavy drinking sessions and parties.
The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the incident was being investigated and that an Irish man was being questioned by Spanish authorities.
This is the second death of an Irish woman in Alicante in the last number of weeks. Dubliner Donna Fogarty, 57, was found dead at her home in the region on August 3.
Spanish authorities are believed to be preparing charges against her 50-year-old partner.
