Irishman found dead in Portuguese prison cell named locally as Donegal native Ryan Chan
Mr Chan, 29, who was well known in Letterkenny, was accused of stabbing his Irish partner. Police say he is believed to have taken his own life
This Irish man has been found dead in a prison cell in Portugal - after he was accused of stabbing his partner while on holiday.
The young man, named locally as Ryan Chan, 29, from the Letterkenny area of Co Donegal, was found unresponsive in his cell in a prison in Albufeira on Tuesday. Police in Albufeira say it is suspected he took his own life.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs has meanwhile confirmed they are aware of the case and are providing consular assistance to Mr Chan’s family. Mr Chan, who was well known in Letterkenny, was accused of assaulting his partner with a knife - and was detained overnight. It is understood Mr Chan and his partner were in Portugal attending a wedding.
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Prison officers made the shock discovery of Mr Chan dead in his cell the following morning. The woman, who is also understood to be Irish and in her 20s, was transferred to hospital, where she was treated for her injuries. It is understood she has since been released from hospital and is recovering.
Mr Chan’s family are understood to own a restaurant business in the town of Letterkenny - which is said to be reeling from the shock of the incident. In a statement, Portugal’s Republican National Guard said it confirms “that in the early hours of today, a 29-year-old citizen, who was detained in the Territorial Subdetachment of the GNR in Albufeira, was found lifeless inside his cell”.
Police confirmed the suspected cause of death is suicide. The National Guard also clarified that the individual had been detained since the previous night, following attacks on his 29-year-old partner, using a knife (bladed weapon).
"The circumstances of the death inside the cell are being investigated, and the Guard is ensuring the necessary coordination with other entities, namely the Judiciary Police, the Public Prosecutor's Office and the General Inspectorate of Internal Administration (IGAI),” they stated.
If you are affected by the contents of this article, you can contact the Samaritans by phone on 116 123 or by email at jo@samaritans.ie.
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