The Taylor family – involved with the death of a burglar in Vilamoura nearly two weeks ago – face an agonising wait to hear whether or not they will face criminal charges.
Father Trevor, 60, and son Scott, 31 are now official suspects (“arguidos”) in the case which plunged the Algarve momentarily back into the media spotlight.
According to Portuguese press, a preliminary autopsy has revealed that 35-year-old repeat offender Paulo Brito died from asphyxia, but the Institute of Legal Medicine in Faro is seeking “complementary tests”, including a toxicology report of Brito’s blood.
This is likely to take “around two weeks”, Correio da Manhã has reported, stressing that the results will be “essential” in determining whether or not the Public Ministry presses forwards with any formal charges.
As all media explained, father and son – “particularly Scott”, according to CM – could face accusations of homicide if the Public Ministry considers there was “an excess of legitimate defence”. In other words, if the pair exerted too much force in their restraint of Brito – variously described as a “chokehold”, “headlock” and “necklock”.
Meantime, newspapers have wasted no time talking to friends, workmates and relatives of the men who all describe them as “devastated” by what happened, and people who would “never hurt anyone intentionally”.
The latest stories in the British press concentrate on the family “living in fear” – not of the ongoing investigation, but of the likelihood of “revenge attacks” by “Brito’s friends in the criminal underworld”.
Photos: Sara Alves/Open Media Group
