Northern Ireland

Funeral due for west Belfast man Paul McOwen who died in Spain

Requiem Mass for Paul McOwen will take place tomorrow in west Belfast
Requiem Mass for Paul McOwen will take place tomorrow in west Belfast Requiem Mass for Paul McOwen will take place tomorrow in west Belfast

A WEST Belfast man who died suddenly in Spain last month will be laid to rest tomorrow after the PSNI said it was "not treating his death as suspicious".

Paul McOwen (39), who was from the Whiterock Road area, died while on holiday in Benidorm on September 10.

A post-mortem examination was carried out and his body was released to his family.

However, on seeing his remains back home, the family voiced concerns about unexplained injuries.

It is understood the family then pursued an independent second examination by a pathologist travelling from the Republic and the PSNI was notified.

Following this, Mr McOwen's remains were being held by PSNI's forensic services and his family, who hired legal representation, had been unable to hold a funeral.

Police said last week that following the results of an independent post-mortem, PSNI detectives were "continuing to assist" Mr McOwen's family.

A police spokesman said detectives were continuing "to liaise with the Spanish authorities in order to progress enquiries into the circumstances of the death".

However yesterday, Detective Chief Inspector Peter McKenna, from the PSNI's Serious Crime Branch, said: "Detectives assisting the family of a man who died in Benidorm last month have confirmed they are not treating his death as suspicious".

Requiem Mass for Paul McOwen will take place tomorrow at 10am at St John's Church. Burial will take place afterwards in Milltown Cemetery.