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The British tourist believed to have been killed in a martial arts chokehold at a Gran Canaria nightclub has been named as 47-year-old Scott Lacey.
Tributes flooded in for the ‘absolute gent’ holidaymaker who died after allegedly being assaulted by a nightclub bouncer in the Canary Islands.
Scott Lacey’s devastated ‘partner and friends’ were said to have been partying with him when the doorman put him in a chokehold known as the ‘Lion Killer’ during a night out in the resort of Playa del Ingles.
Today stunned pals and well-wishers were rallying round heartbroken Charli Wilkins, from Chichester, West Sussex, after she said she was ‘devastated’ in an emotional social media message.
Confirming 47-year-old Scott’s life had tragically been cut short, she said: ‘It is with the greatest sorrow that I’m having to share that while on holiday in Gran Canaria, Scott sadly passed away.’
Scott Lacey was described as ‘wonderful’ and an ‘absolute gent’ in touching tributes
Scott’s friends said he was a ‘beautiful man inside and out’ as Charli confirmed the sad news
‘This is understandably still very raw and myself and our families are trying to process this devastating news,’ she continued.
‘Details will be shared regarding the funeral as soon as we can and I know Scott would want as many people as possible to celebrate his life.’
Martin Atkinson, from Redditch, Worcestershire, reacted by saying: ‘God, can’t believe this. He was a fantastic bloke, one of the best.’
Emily Jupp, from Fareham, Hampshire, told Charli: ‘We are utterly devastated.
‘My heart aches for you during this unimaginable time. I can’t begin to understand the pain you’re going through.
‘Please know that we are here for you, whatever you need. Scott was a wonderful man, and his memory will live on in all of us who knew him.’
Friend Joey Edwards described Scott as an ‘absolute gent’ and another said he was a ‘beautiful man inside and out.’
Matt Holland, added: ‘Scott was such a lovely, funny and likable guy he will be sorely missed by everyone who ever shared any time with him.’
Painter and decorator Lee Russon, from Redditch, Worcestershire, who has successfully battled cancer this year, said in a separate Facebook post after learning about Scott’s death: ‘What sad news!
‘He was messaging me and donated to my page when I was ill. He really was a good man. RIP my friend Scott Lacey.’
The incident that resulted in Scott’s death occurred at a nightclub called Chic in Playa del Ingles in the early hours of July 27.
Police revealed yesterday a 32-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of homicide and remanded in prison pending an ongoing investigation by a judge.
A spokesman for National Police in San Bartolome de Tirajana, the force that covers the Playa del Ingles area, said: ‘Officers have arrested a 32-year-old man who has no police record as the suspected author of a crime of homicide.
‘In the early hours of July 27 an emergency call was received saying a person was lying lifeless on the ground near a nightspot in Playa del Ingles.
‘Several police units responded along with other emergency services.
‘Once they were there, they confirmed the death of the man, an English tourist, and cordoned off the area.’
Police said that investigators spoke to witnesses, staff, friends and Scott’s partner.
They said it initially seemed he had suffered a heart attack.
‘However marks were observed on his neck and his body was transported to the island’s Institute of Forensic Medicine for further analysis.
‘Several witnesses told police they had seen how one of the members of staff had carried out a chokehold known as a Mata Leao [Lion Killer] choke because the British man he performed it on was very agitated.
‘When he was immobilised he collapsed on the ground.
Friends remembered Scott’s acts of kindness, writing that he was a ‘good man’
General view of Playa de Ingles in Gran Canaria, where Scott and friends were partying
Police looked at CCTV footage, which showed an employee of the nightspot grabbing the victim by the neck before he fell to the floor.
‘The forensic report corroborated the cause of death as asphyxia.
‘Given the risk the suspected killer could abscond, a search operation was put in place and once he was located the suspect was immediately arrested.
‘He was subsequently remanded to a local jail on the orders of an investigating magistrate.’
The arrest occurred on July 29, although police only went public with it yesterday after the suspect appeared in court in a closed hearing and was remanded in custody.’
The nightclub is not due to reopen until Saturday and no-one there could be reached today.
