Michaela McAreavey: Dassen Narayanen charged with theft plot

Dassen Narayanen appeared in court on Wednesday

A former security guard has been charged with conspiring to steal a hotel room key card to the room where Michaela McAreavey was killed in 2011.

Police in Mauritius said Dassen Narayanen had been charged with larceny on Wednesday.

The 37-year-old is accused of conspiring to steal from the Legends Hotel used by Michaela McAreavey and her husband John McAreavey.

Narayanen's address is given as Royal Road, Plaine des Papayes, Mauritius.

A document, from the district court in Riviere du Rempart in Mauritius, says Mr Narayanan is accused of conspiring with another person "to steal a magnetic card from a room from Legend Hotel … to commit larceny from the said room which was at that particular time occupied by Mr and Mrs John McAreavey".

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Police in Mauritius said Mr Narayanen had been remanded into their custody until 6 April.

In a statement, John McAreavey said: "I'm being kept informed of developments with my legal team in Mauritius and do not want to make any further comment at this stage."

Michaela McAreavey on her wedding day in 2011

Dassen Narayanen's lawyer said his client was detained on Tuesday.

Vikash Teeluckdharry said Mr Narayanen was being questioned in relation to allegations of theft from the Legends Hotel in 2011.

Mr Narayanen had previously been charged with conspiracy to murder Mrs McAreavey, later reduced to larceny, which was struck out altogether in 2013.

The 27-year-old Mrs McAreavey was strangled in her hotel room while on honeymoon, on 10 January 2011.

Michaela McAreavey was found dead in a bath at the four-star Legends Hotel, after returning to her room to get biscuits

She had returned to the room alone and disturbed a burglary taking place.

No-one has ever been convicted of her murder.

Two former workers at the luxury resort - Sandip Moneea and Avinash Treebhoowoon - were acquitted of murder after a high-profile trial on the holiday island in summer 2012.

Mr Narayanen's lawyer said on Tuesday that his client was being questioned again about the same larceny allegations he faced back in 2011 and maintained his innocence.

"This is all nonsense, there is nothing new," he said.

"He's denied this from day one and it's the same situation today."