Two ‘foreigners’ arrested over murder of British man who was beaten to death in attack’ in Tenerife

Two ‘foreigners’ are arrested over the murder of British man who was beaten to death in ‘random attack’ during lads’ holiday to Tenerife

  • Detainees, who were aged 29 and 30, held on suspicion of killing Michael Lewis
  • Spanish police said they were remanded in jail pending ongoing criminal probe
  • Mr Lewis, 23, of Rhyl, Wales, died in hospital two days after the ‘violent’ attack
  • Incident last Tuesday saw him beaten on the floor in the holiday resort of Arona
  • His aunt Karen Hughes said her nephew had been the victim of a ‘random attack’

Two ‘foreigners’ have been arrested over the murder of a British man who was beaten to death in a ‘random attack’ during a lads’ holiday to Tenerife.

The detainees, who were 29 and 30, were held on suspicion of killing Michael Lewis – and have been remanded in jail pending an ongoing criminal probe.

Mr Lewis, 23, of Rhyl, Wales, died in hospital two days after being attacked in the street in the holiday resort of Arona in the early hours last Tuesday.

Michael Lewis (pictured), 23, who was also known as Liam Boland, died two days after he was ‘randomly attacked’ in the street in Tenerife. Two detainees, who were 29 and 30, have been held on suspicion of homicide

His aunt Karen Hughes said her nephew – who was known as Liam Boland or Brillo by his friends – was ‘attacked randomly’ in the street when he went to get food.

Although he was taken to University Hospital Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria, the apprentice died two days later.

Mr Lewis's aunt said her nephew (pictured) had gone to get food when he was attacked. He suffered head injuries and died two days later

Mr Lewis’s aunt said her nephew (pictured) had gone to get food when he was attacked. He suffered head injuries and died two days later

He had only arrived on Tenerife four days earlier and it was thought he was staying at The Playa Real Hotel in Costa Adeje.

Friends have set up a GoFundMe page to pay for the costs of funeral arrangements, medical fees and repatriation.

One of the fundraisers wrote: ‘Liam/Michael was a very special person to many people, he was too young and innocent to leave us this way. We will miss him.’

A spokesman for Spanish National Police in Tenerife, which only went public with the arrests yesterday, said: ‘National Police have arrested two foreign men aged 29 and 30 as the suspected authors of a crime of homicide in Arona.

‘During a fight, the victim was attacked whilst on the floor with violent blows that eventually led to his death.

‘The incident happened in the early hours after a row outside a nightspot.’

Revealing one of the arrests took place at the scene immediately after the assault, and the second occurred a few hours later, the spokesman added: ‘The detainees were taken to court and a judge ordered their remand in prison.’

Mr Lewis' parents Julie Lewis and father Patrick Boland flew out to be with their son after he was injured and taken to hospital. He had been staying at the Playa Real Hotel (pictured)

Mr Lewis’ parents Julie Lewis and father Patrick Boland flew out to be with their son after he was injured and taken to hospital. He had been staying at the Playa Real Hotel (pictured)

Mr Lewis’s parents Julie Lewis and Patrick Boland flew out to Tenerife before he died and are thought to still be on the island.

His aunt said after news of his death emerged: ‘He didn’t have a bad bone in his body. He was always the person to step back and walk away. It’s a total waste of life.’

Dozens of people have paid tribute to Mr Lewis, who had moved to London two years ago after getting a scholarship with construction firm Brown & Carroll. 

Mr Lewis, from Rhyl, Wales, posted about the holiday on social media and shared snaps from the pool area

Mr Lewis, pictured, had lived in London for the past two years after becoming an apprentice

The apprentice (right) had been staying at the Playa Real Hotel in Costa Adeje, (left, a social media post he made while on the trip), with his friends

One person said on Facebook: ‘A lovely man with a cracking smile. You always put a smile on my face, even when you were winding me up. Stolen from us at 23.’

While another said: ‘So tragic. A great guy he was. The short time I knew him. Not a bad bone in him.’

The GoFundMe page to pay for his funeral arrangements has more than £1,600 of a £5,000 target.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk