Greek police investigating killing of Tyrell Matthews-Burton, 19, say two UK groups had scores to settle before they arrived
Greek police investigating the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old British tourist on Crete have attributed the murder to gang violence between rival groups in the UK.
As some 20 Britons arrested in connection with the crime appeared before a public prosecutor on Wednesday, police announced they had begun to assemble a picture of two gangs "bent on destroying one another."
"They had scores to settle long before they arrived here," said a police officer, Yannis Phillipakis, speaking from Heraklion, the island's capital. "Unofficially, what we are hearing is that they brought their gang warfare to Crete."
The murder on Tuesday of Tyrell Matthews-Burton, a shop assistant, in the popular island resort of Malia sent shockwaves through Greece.
The young Londoner, described by neighbours as a "little gentleman," was stabbed in the back and chest as a drunken row quickly turned into an all-out brawl with other British holidaymakers. The ferocity of the attack caused the local coroner Manolis Michalodimitrakis, who examined the body, to liken the assault to an execution.
With his lung and heart punctured by the knife wounds, he said, Matthews-Burton would have died within minutes. The Briton was celebrating his 19th birthday at the time.
Greek police, citing testimony, have identified another Briton, also aged 19, as having been behind the blows that caused the victim to collapse in a pool of blood.
Shortly before the man's arrest, a knife and bloody clothes were found hidden in his hotel room. He raised further suspicions when he attempted to escape detention, first on a quad bike and then on foot. When he was eventually seized, he strongly denied the accusation.
"From all the evidence, we have a prime suspect," said Hara Didaki, another police officer on the island. "And it seems that he knew the victim."
Another Briton also confessed on Wednesday to participating in the killing, deepening speculation that two knives had been used in the attack and prompting the public prosecutor to postpone charges until Friday.
"He is a member of the chief suspect's gang," said another police source. "The prosecutor now wants to interview two female members from the gang the victim belonged to."
Britons, after Germans, are the most frequent visitors to Greece, with party destinations such as Malia depending on young revellers.
Until the stabbing officials had managed, with reinforced policing and help from Scotland Yard, to rein in the bad behaviour of British youngsters often travelling abroad for the first time.
"From what I am told by other tourists, these kids were at war," sighed Giorgos Xedakis, a local shopkeeper. "It was just a matter of time before one of them died. And, in the end, it happened here."
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