Two British Medical Students Murdered After Pub Quarrel

PETALING JAYA: The identities of the two British medical students stabbed to death by four local men in Kuching have been disclosed in a heartfelt posting on their university’s official Facebook page.

Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger, were named by Newcastle University acting vice-chancellor Prof Tony Stevenson in the post which added that the students were on six-week work placement in Kuching.

“Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger, both 22, were on a six week work placement along with five other medical students to put the skills they had learnt during their time here at the university into practice.

This has come as a huge shock to us all and our thoughts are with their families and friends at this very difficult time,” the posting read.

Stevenson added that two staff members from the university were flying out to Kuching and working with the British High Commissioner to provide support to the other students there, and to arrange for their flights home.

The comments section of the Facebook post were filled with messages of condolences.

Dalton and Brunger were found murdered at 4.15am Wednesday with stab wounds on their chest and back after an early morning quarrel with four local men at Abell Road.

A restaurant worker had alerted the police after witnessing the incident.

A quarrel is alleged to have taken place between the victims and suspects while both parties were drinking at a pub. When the students left the pub on foot, the suspects pursued them in a car and one of the suspects attacked victims.

At 6am, police arrested three of the suspects at their homes and seized the car, a knife, mobile phones. They have been remanded for seven days. The fourth suspect was arrested at 4.45pm and will be remanded today.

The main suspect is a 23-year-old fishmonger. One of the suspects is a 29-year-old mechanic while two others are unemployed, aged 19 and 35. Two of them have previous convictions for a drug-related offence and armed robbery.

Dalton and Brunger arrived in Sarawak in June to undergo a six-week placement at a local hospital there. They were due to complete their placement on Thursday and planned to return to Britain later this month.

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/08/07/University-discloses-names-of-students/