Protest at Foreign Office over Carl Davies Reunion Island death

The family of a teacher murdered on an Indian Ocean island have held a protest outside the UK Foreign Office accusing it of failing to help them.

Carl Davies, 33, from Kent, was found dead on Reunion Island. His death, in November 2011, was initially treated as an accident.

However, tests suggested he had been beaten to death and four people were later charged with his murder.

The Foreign Office said it gave support to grieving families.

About 40 people took part in a demonstration outside the King Charles Street offices in central London, criticising the treatment Mr Davies's family received from the Foreign Office (FCO).

'Human rights denied'

The protesters, who included Mr Davies's parents, Andrew and Maria, and about 20 supporters calling for "Justice for Carl Davies", say they have struggled to get information about the death of loved ones.

Mr Davies's sister, Kerrie Stewart, from Sittingbourne, Kent, said: "You lose your passport and you get help. You lose a loved one and you get no help.

"We assumed we would have rights if you lose somebody, but you don't. The way we see it, we have been completely failed."

An initial protest was held at 11:00 BST and another is planned later.

The body of Carl Davies was found two days after he arrived on Reunion Island

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office would not comment on Mr Davies's case.

However, she said: "The FCO offers particular support to the families of those who have died abroad, both from natural causes and, tragically, in accidents or as victims of murder and manslaughter.

"We provide this support in conjunction with a range of partners including the police and coroner services.

"We also provide direct funding for many of our partners, including Victim Support Scotland, Missing Abroad and the Travel Care organisations and chaplaincies at UK airports, to enable them to provide additional specialist support where we cannot.

"We regularly review our policy and our training for staff, seeking feedback from specialist NGOs and support groups as well as from families themselves."

Hundreds at funeral

Mr Davies, a former royal marine who had become a teacher, is believed to have arrived on the French-governed island on 7 November 2011.

His body was discovered two days later and a murder investigation started on 19 November.

In February, Kent Police said they had been told four people had been charged with his murder and six others had been arrested on suspicion of his murder.

The four charged people are believed to be aged between 16 and 30.

It is estimated about 600 people attended Mr Davies's funeral at the Garden of England Crematorium in Bobbing, near Sittingbourne, in December 2011.