Spanish cops hunt British man, 45, who ‘punched pensioner to death’

Spanish police are hunting a British tourist suspected of killing an OAP he mistook for a sex pest in the holiday resort of Fuengirola.

A Costa del Sol court has issued a European arrest warrant for the unnamed 45-year-old over the death of the pensioner who was punched in the face on a zebra crossing.

Argentinian-born dad-of-three Mario Sauco, 65, died in Malaga’s Carlos Haya Hospital 10 days after the August 4 late-night street attack.

Police sources say they believe the British holidaymaker, who was photographed by a witness before he fled the scene, may have confronted Mario after following him from a bar following an alleged incident involving a teenage girl.

Spanish police released a picture of the British man accused of punching Mario Sauco on August 4

Dad-of-three Mario Sauco (pictured), 65, died in Malaga’s Carlos Haya Hospital 10 days after the brutal attack

Officers have been told the dead man was asked to leave a bar moments before he was attacked after being accused of putting his arm round the youngster. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by the assault victim.

Another witness described the alleged killer as ‘tearful and guilt-ridden’ when he realised he could have killed the OAP and claimed he had ‘touched up’ a young girl she assumed related to the British man.

Police have confirmed a British man has been made the subject of a European Arrest Warrant following Mario’s death but have not made any official comment on the circumstances leading up to the street attack and declined to elaborate on what may have happened in the bar.

The bar has not been named.

Mario, who lived in an area of Fuengirola called Los Boliches with his wife and one of his three daughters, was rushed to hospital after being punched in the face just before midnight on August 4.

Witnesses say he was hit by a middle-aged man wearing a red shirt who had been following him and shouting at him as he turned round on a zebra crossing.

Sauco was punched in the face on a zebra crossing in the holiday resort of Fuengirola, Spain (pictured)

Sauco (pictured) was said to have suffered a broken skull as he fell to the ground having been punched in the head

The victim – who was just 300 feet from his home when he was assaulted – suffered a broken skull sustained when he hit his head as he fell to the ground.

He died in Carlos Haya Hospital 10 days later after failing to come out of a coma.

Investigators are understood to have put a name to the suspect after being handed the photo a witness took on a mobile phone. Police asked a court to issue a European Arrest Warrant because they believe he has left Spain and returned to the UK.

Mario’s daughter Analia said in a social media appeal for information before the warrant was issued: ‘On August 4 at approximately 11.40pm my father suffered a street attack in Los Boliches in Fuengirola.

‘The attacker punched him and my father fell to the ground and was left in a coma and subsequently died.

‘The attacker’s whereabouts is unknown and this is why I am asking for information from anyone who saw him that night.

‘Please call the police if yo have any information. We know that finding him won’t bring my father back but we can get justice in his name. 

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