Wife of dead holidaymaker claims police cover up

9:48am Wednesday 9th July 2008

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THE wife of a North-East holidaymaker who died in Portugal claims police are involved in a 'cover up' surrounding his death.

Former cricketer David Morley died on Friday after enjoying a golfing break in the Vilamoura area of the Algarve.

Wife Marie was told by a neurosurgeon who treated her husband that his injuries resulted from an 'act of aggression' and she still believes he was mugged and attacked after leaving their group to buy cigars for a friend back home.

Mr Morley, 64, of Ryton, Gateshead, suffered a right temporal fracture during the incident on the evening of Thursday, June 26, not long after going missing.

He was transferred from hospital in Faro to intensive care in Lisbon a day later, but tests confirmed he was brain dead and his life support machine was switched off on Friday night.

In a statement issued by the policia judiciaria last night, the police said an investigation had been concluded after they confirmed Mr Morley had suffered a fall and banged his head.

But Marie and her family insist the police are trying to cover up an attack so tourists will not be deterred from taking a holiday in the upmarket resort.

Describing the small arcade where he was injured as a 'death trap' for tourists, his wife, 57, of Holburn Terrace, called on police to close it off for fear of another violent attack.

She said: "Not enough is being done to protect tourists over there.

"He used a walkway which is lit and used by tourists.

"I have actually been informed by a Portuguese lady who is from Vilamoura that the government stops, or plays down, the reporting of incidents such as this because they rely on tourists for their economy and in my opinion that road should be shut so that everybody uses the main street where there are passing cars."

Mrs Morley has also criticised police for their slow uptake of the investigation, which was not logged as a criminal inquiry until three days later.

She said: "Part of the problem is that there are a lot of illegal Eastern Europeans there. When we were going from the marina up to get our mobile phones from the hotel, just on the corner where you come off the main road there was a young lad who was frantically trying to flag down a taxi.

"But it had passengers in it and I thought that was a bit odd. I gave his description to the police."

Mrs Morley said her husband's gold chains remained on him because they were hidden from view, but an engraved wedding ring, watch and camera are still missing.

Mr Morley's wallet was discovered after the attack which still contained his credit cards and it was tested for fingerprints.

Mrs Morley said: "When I saw him I told him who I was, he said to me would I get those blokes away from him, and I explained that they were the police and paramedics.

"I got the impression he thought they were the people who had attacked him."

She said that her husband had drank two and a half pints of beer that evening.

He had been enjoying the day with his wife and two friends before he left them to buy cigars for a friend.

Last night brother Keith, 54, said: "Even the doctor at the hospital said that it was an act of aggression. A neurosurgeon told Marie that.

"Where is his ring and watch? The only reason they didn't take his chains is because they couldn't see them.

"He was clattered on the head and it was an act of aggression. They don't want tourists to know that this kind of thing is happening out there."