Kirsty Mckenzie
THE family of a British man who was murdered during a stag weekend in Spain have appealed for new information ten years on from their son’s tragic death.
Scotsman Craig Mallon, 26, from Coatbridge, was killed by a single punch outside a bar on the Costa Brava in 2012.
The quantity surveyor had only arrived in the Lloret de Mar area just hours before the savage attack that ended his life.
He was reported to have been punched in the head once in the busy street outside the Rockefeller’s bar.
Despite an investigation by Spanish police, a killer was never identified and Craig’s mum passed away in 2018, without ever knowing the truth.
Witnesses who were out on the night Craig lost his life have been called upon by family members to offer up any information they may have.
Craig’s father Ian Mallon is determined to find the answers behind his son’s tragic death and appealing to anyone with information to come forward.
“We are nearly 10 years on and I am totally disheartened with it all,” he said. “I just can’t believe that our own governments and authorities can’t look into this case. It killed my wife and I have suffered a stroke and two heart attacks.
“It has destroyed us as a family and my wife more or less gave up. I’m just looking for a bit of closure or justice.”
He added: “It has felt like we were one step forward, two steps back the whole time with the investigation. Even when we were in Spain to identify Craig, which was horrendous what they put us through, it seemed as if the authorities couldn’t wait to get rid of us.
“There has to be changes to allow our authorities to help families when a loved one is killed abroad. Look at where we are 10 years on – and we won’t be the last family that doesn’t get answers when something terrible happens.”
A statement by his family said: “When Craig was killed, this square was full of people so there should’ve been a number of witnesses.
“But many have not been traced or interviewed and the investigation has failed to find the person who threw that fatal punch.”
It comes after cops failed to identify Craig’s murderer, despite the uncovering of CCTV footage by a former detective in 2017.
The retired detective superintendent on the case, David Swindle, had claimed that four Frenchman caught on camera could be key to uncovering how Craig died.
Mr Swindle said while significant progress was made with the investigation into Craig’s death when a Spanish judge ruled as part of an international process that French suspects could be interviewed, he said families are still being failed when their loved ones die abroad.
“I have been supporting British families for 10 years now, families who have lost loved ones due to homicide, in unexplained or suspicious circumstances while abroad, but the same issues remain a key feature,” said Mr Swindle, who set up Victims Abroad and has a team of experts to help those in their time of need in other countries.
He said: “It comes back to a lack of progress regarding lines of inquiry requested by victims’ families, poor communication with victims’ families by foreign and UK authorities, no formalised holistic information sharing, investigative and victim support processes.
“There isn’t even accountability or explanation by foreign authorities for flawed investigations and there is also a lack of victim focused processes and victim empathy by foreign authorities, and a lack of Government and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) support.”
An FCDO spokesperson said: “The death of a loved one is hugely distressing, particularly if it happens overseas, and the families affected have our deepest sympathies.
“Our staff do all they can to help British people in difficulty abroad. When families reach out to us for help, we stay in close contact, offering information, advice and help dealing with authorities.”
If you have any information, call the Olive Press on 951 27 35 75 or email info@craigmallon.com
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