Brit stabbed to death by thugs while on bar crawl in popular Cyprus resort

A British tourist was stabbed to death while on a bar crawl in the popular holiday resort of Ayia Napa.

Estate agent George Low had been out with his friend when he was set upon by two men and stabbed in the neck.

The 22-year-old had been seen chasing a man into an alleyway moments before a gang of four targeted him and friend Ben Barker, then 24, and stabbed them.

Mr Low, who had worked in Ayia Napa the previous two summer seasons, was seen bleeding heavily outside the resort's popular Bell bar.

Mr Low and Mr Barker were attacked in the early hours on August 14, 2016.

They had spent the evening drinking vodka and shots at bars including Starskys on the Mayhem Bar Crawl with around 300 other revellers.

The inquest was told Mr Low was attacked by the men and seen with a black knife embedded in his neck.

He pulled it out and collapsed in front of terrified Brit workers who had known him from working there in 2014 and 2015.

A statement from Mr Barker the day after the attack was read to the inquest in Maidstone, Kent. It said Mr Low had pushed a man moments before the fight broke out.

It said: "George ran after him and I ran after George.

"We followed him until the middle of the stairs (near the bar) and then we stopped and went out of the Bell's."

Mr Barker was also stabbed with a "black, curved knife".

The statement went on to say how Mr Barker fought off one of the men.

He added: "I got him from his neck and I was trying to put him on the floor.

"While I was fighting with him I felt something in my back. I touched my back and realised a knife was in my back.

"I thought the fight was finished and I turned round and I saw a circle of people and a girl told me George had been stabbed.

"I noticed George had been stabbed in the neck and I panicked."

Other witnesses said they saw Mr Low, from Dartford, Kent, pulling the black blade from his neck.

No one has ever been arrested over Mr Low's murder, though two suspects who were identified reportedly went on the run.

Following the murder, Cyprus Police issued arrest warrants for Mehmet Akpinar, 22, and Bulgarian national Sali Ahmet, 42.

But it is reported that Turkish Cypriot authorities in the north refused to hand them over to the Greek Cypriot south and both men were allowed to leave the country.

Northern Cyprus has no extradition treaties in force, other than with Turkey.

Senior coroner Roger Hatch said Mr Low's cause of death was haemorrhagic shock caused by injury to the lung and carotid artery caused by a sharp instrument.

He concluded that Mr Low was unlawfully killed.

Mr Hatch said: "On the balance of probabilities, it is fair to say that the death of George Henry Low was due to unlawful killing.

"I express my sympathy to the family."

Some 14 friends and family members packed into the court to hear the inquest.

Speaking outside court, Mr Low's father Martyn, 58, said: "It's very, very harrowing listening to the last moments of your son's life.

"It kind of was what we expected – unlawful killing. It's just so harrowing."

"No, it doesn't get any easier, in fact it's got worse. As everybody will tell you, we've lost a child. You never get over that.

"They say time heals, but it doesn't.

"If they say that, they'd be lying.

"Justice is the only thing we've got now. Get the perpetrators handed over to the South. Turkey, do the right thing – hand them over. That's what we want.

"A so-called civilised society, you'd think they would. But politics overrules justice.

"We're still absorbing it now."

His mother Helen, 50, fighting back the tears, added: "You just think, why is it so hard? Why can't they just hand them over? Who wants murderers running around in their country?

"Why should they live to have free lives when they've taken our son's life?"

Isabel Bathurst, a travel litigation specialist at law firm Slater and Gordon who is acting for the family, said: “To lose a child is every parent’s worst nightmare and in these circumstances is especially painful.

"George was enjoying the last few hours of his holiday in a place he had lived and worked and enjoyed many nights out before when his life was cut short in what appears to be a completely senseless, unprovoked attack.

“Helen and Martyn have had to navigate dealing with the authorities in a different country and a different language, all while trying to come to terms with the death of their son, but are determined they will not stop until they get justice.”

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