Hotel Played "Dirty Game", Mauritius Court Told

A senior police officer has told a Mauritius court that the husband of a murdered honeymooner was arrested because of a "dirty game" played by hotel managers desperate to protect their reputation.

At the trial of two men who deny Michaela McAreavey’s murder, Yoosoof Soopun said Legends Hotel staff only handed over electronic door readings "after persistent requests".

If they had done so sooner, John McAreavey would not have been arrested, said the detective who led the murder investigation.

Mrs McAreavey was killed in her hotel room in 2011 and Mr McAreavey has told the court how he was left alone and handcuffed in a police station for hours after finding his new wife's body.

Mr Soopun told the court today: "If that information was given earlier, there's no doubt the poor Mr John McAreavey would not have been taken to Piton police station and treated as a suspect. It was only on our persistent requests that we obtained the reading and came to know that a magnetic card – JMK supervisor two – has been used at 14.42 hours, some two minutes before the lady, the deceased Mrs McAreavey, had accessed the room."

He said as soon as he found Mr McAreavey handcuffed, crying and "completely broken" he let him go.

The detective claimed management were concerned with the hotel's reputation, but said he "didn't like bringing it up".

Avinash Treebhoowoon, 31, and Sandip Moneea, 42, deny murder.

The trial continues.

(NE)