THE heartbroken father of a Scot murdered abroad has told how the failure to bring his killers to justice is slowly sending him to an early grave.
Craig Mallon, 26, died from a single lethal punch outside Rockefellers Bar in Spain’s Lloret de Mar in May 2012 after a group of men, believed to be French, attacked him and his brother's stag party.
Eyewitnesses gave detailed testimony of the brutal attack but it is believed the group fled the country the next day - and the case has never been solved.
In an exclusive interview with the Glasgow Times, Craig’s dad Ian told how the trauma has had a devastating impact on his own health.
He said: “I’ve suffered two heart attacks, a stroke and had to undergo spinal surgery that left me in a wheelchair for 20 months. Not having any closure is robbing me of my health - it is killing me.
“It’s been 10 years since Craig was murdered and I still don’t have any justice.
"Every anniversary I go to his grave but I can’t grieve like a normal dad because I’ve been left in limbo.
"I've had no answers and no one is behind bars for his death. It’s devastating and I’m not sure how much more I can take. It’s broken me in so many ways and you simply never get over losing a child - no parent should have to go through this.”
Ian’s wife Antoinette passed away in 2018 after a battle with lung cancer and Ian says it broke the 46-year-old to go to her grave without seeing justice for her boy.
Ian, from Coatbridge, says it haunts him that his wife died without knowing who was responsible for the killing.
He explains: “She gave up her fight with cancer the day that we lost our son. Having to identify his body was horrendous. It left us both devastated and it’s something you never truly get past.
“I nursed Antoinette for months and we were both determined to see the people responsible for his death caught.
"Knowing my wife passed away without any answers is still devastating to me. It has left me broken."
A specialist inquiry team, led by retired Strathclyde Police detective David Swindle, discovered the identities of those who are believed to have murdered Craig.
He has been helping the family for several years and went on to set up Victims Abroad.
The case was the first he became involved in where a British citizen lost their life overseas and has led to him being called to assist police probes into similar tragedies.
Mr Swindle, who help snare serial killer Peter Tobin, says the UK and Scottish Governments must develop better support and collaboration processes with countries where British citizens have lost their lives to suspected foul play.
He told the Glasgow Times: “Craig was murdered, and we know the names of those responsible, but the wheels of justice turn incredibly slowly in Spain.
“We need the French and Spanish authorities to work with us to secure convictions. This has been incredibly frustrating for Craig’s family and friends, who deserve to see those responsible held accountable.
“We know an English-speaking woman telephoned the Spanish emergency services the morning after and spoke about a tall man and others involved in a fight.
"The description of the distinctly tall man features in other witness statements. The woman's information is vital. Did she tell anyone else about what she saw or that she made that phone call?
"Despite being 10 years ago, this woman will still recollect seeing such a violent incident but may not have realised the fatal consequences."
Craig had only just flown in from his home in Australia the night before and spent a few brief hours with Ian and Antoinette before jetting off again to meet his brother in Spain
Ian says Mr Swindle’s determination to solve the case has brought the family some crumbs of comfort.
He added: “Craig was killed just hours after landing in Lloret de Mar. He was looking forward to spending time with his brother and excited to be going on holiday.
“We never imagined anything like this would happen. It still sickens me thinking that someone struck him so hard that it caused him to die.
"I also want to know why the group responsible fled the country the very next morning. We need those answers and I’m determined to keep fighting with whatever strength and time I have left."
Mr Swindle will be speaking at CrimeCon when it makes its debut at the Hilton in Glasgow on September 10.
He will be joined by a string of high-profile guests to discuss some of Scotland’s most prolific murder cases.
For more information, visit crimecon.co.uk/glasgow.
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