Denyse Sweeney death: Family identify "suspect"

Denyse Sweeney was working as a volunteer at an animal shelter on Goa when she died at a bar

Two women who believe their sister was killed in Goa say they have identified the man they believe is responsible.

Denyse Sweeney, from Derby, died in 2010. Indian authorities said her death was drugs related but a UK pathologist found it was a due to a head injury.

Maureen and Marion Sweeney said notes from a Derbyshire Police interview indicated a bar owner on the island was "suspicious".

Police said they have now closed their investigation.

Ms Sweeney, who was 34, was working as a volunteer at an animal shelter in Goa when she died after collapsing in a bar.

'Need to know'

A post-mortem examination carried out in India concluded the most likely cause of her death was a ketamine overdose.

But at an inquest in 2012 in Derby, a toxicology report revealed there were no drugs in her system and the probable cause of death was a head wound.

"We think she was hit on the head by a local Indian man and we just need to know who he is," Maureen said.

"Tourists at the time said it was common knowledge she had been hit on the head by a rock or a boulder.

"We've known this for five years and we're more inclined to believe that now with the information we've had come forward."

Goa is a popular tourist destination in India

Freedom of Information requests by the sisters revealed a friend of Denyse had told Derbyshire Police he suspected a bar owner from Goa of carrying out the attack.

The witness said he had helped her after the alleged attack.

The sisters do not know the suspect's name but have a photograph of him, they said.

"In the statement [he said] when he first saw Denyse she had a look of fear on her face and this man was standing right next to her," Maureen added.

Derbyshire Police said its investigation into this case has now finished.