The man, aged in his 60s, was discovered unconscious on a bathroom floor in the Ballyfin Demesne hotel on Tuesday evening and was later pronounced dead. It is understood that the deceased was the victim of an assault. Gardaí were alerted to the incident and arrested a man in his 30s at the hotel.
Gardaí are investigating "all the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at a hotel in north Co Laois on Tuesday evening”, a spokesperson confirmed. The arrested man is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. The services of the Garda Technical Bureau and Office of the State Pathologist were requested.
A Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) has been appointed to lead the investigation and an incident room has been established at Portlaoise Garda Station. A Family Liaison Officer (FLO) will be appointed to support the family of the deceased. Gardaí said investigations are ongoing.
The hotel is one of Ireland’s most exclusive accommodation options, with celebrities regularly staying in the luxury hotel. Ballyfin hit global headlines in 2014 after celebrity couple Kim Kardashian and Kanye West opted to stay there as part of their five-day Irish honeymoon. Ballyfin Demesne has been contacted for comment.
News Catch Up - Tuesday 12th November.