The police investigation into an attack on an Irishman in Gran Canaria last year was described as "very casual" by witnesses at the inquest into his death in Dublin yesterday.
According to testimony at the inquest into the death of Mr Daniel O'Callaghan (24), of 28 Windsor Road, Rathmines, Dublin, there were several breaches in standard investigation procedures by Spanish police.
Mr O'Callaghan died on May 15th, 2003, following an assault on the Spanish island two weeks previously. He arrived in the resort of Maspalomas with three friends on Saturday, April 26th. The assault, in which he sustained serious head injuries, occurred in the early hours of Sunday, April 27th, in a laneway beside the Greenfield apartment block in which he and his friends were staying, the inquest heard.
The laneway in which Mr O'Callaghan was found unconscious was never sealed off and no forensic investigation took place. It also emerged that Spanish authorities never interviewed any of the residents of the two hotels overlooking the laneway. Photographs presented, which were taken the day after the attack, showed a large pool of blood on the ground as well as medical gloves used by paramedics.
Testimony was heard from the dead man's friends with whom he travelled. Mr Keith Martin, Mr Paul Perry and Mr Darren Staunton recalled how they had arrived on the island earlier that night, gone for food and then began their night's revelry.
Mr James Jeffers, who witnessed the incident in the laneway from his apartment balcony, said: "I was sitting on my balcony and I saw a commotion and heard glass breaking. At approximately 4 a.m I saw a man running, being followed by another man. I heard a loud crack and the first man fell immediately to the ground."
A motorcyclist who discovered the body on the ground raised the alarm. Mr Jeffers said he did not contact police as he feared the attack was to do with local drug dealers and he was unaware the victim was an Irishman.
The inquest heard that the four friends had been drinking heavily on the night and Mr O'Callaghan was described as being "very drunk" by his friends when they last saw him, approximately an hour before he was assaulted.
The group had gone to a lap-dancing club earlier that night and Mr O'Callaghan had left the club "running and he told us to get out of there", Mr Martin said.
It emerged that he was pressured to pay for a room by a girl after she performed a lap dance for him, but he refused.
His friends, who were waiting outside for him, said he ran out of the club and that he was "visibly shaken". The group then moved on to another bar and continued drinking.
They were concerned when Mr O'Callaghan failed to return to the hotel. Staff in the hotel said he had been attacked and was seriously ill in hospital.
The inquest was adjourned for mention until July 21st at which stage medical evidence will be presented.