A BRITISH tourist who suffered a brain injury in an “unprovoked” attack during a night out in Spain may never walk or talk again, medics have warned.
Retired carpenter Marshall Latham, 68, was left fighting for his life after being sucker punched in a street on the Canary island Fuerteventuran.
Now, doctors have told his partner Lynn he is unlikely to recover from his brain damage and “he will never walk or talk again”.
A 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the attack and released on bail, it emerged today.
The injured Brit’s brother-in-law Jim Casey had told local paper Nantwich News in an interview last week the suspect had been nabbed on a plane as he tried to fly to Glasgow.
The nightmare began when after Marshall, from Nantwich, Cheshire, had been out drinking with friends in the resort of Caleta de Fuste, on the east side of the island.
As he was walking home, he was “punched out of the blue by someone he didn’t know”, according to a GoFundMe appeal set up in his name.
Other witness reports also say that the attack was unprovoked and there was no prior altercation between the two, per Canarian Weekly.
Marshall was knocked off his feet by the strike and smacked his head on the hard concrete floor – knocking him unconscious.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and Marshall was whisked to hospital in Puerto del Rosario, where he was sedated, before being transferred to a larger facility in Gran Canaria.
There, he had a 14cm chunk of his skull removed, a tracheotomy, a drain on his brain to help ease pressure, and suffered pneumonia twice and meningitis.
Friend Neil Cooper said Marshall’s loved ones have been told “not once, but twice” that they need to say goodbye to him because “the medical staff didn’t think he would make it though the night”.
He added: “We want to bring Marsh’s attacker to justice and although this won’t change his medical situation, it will allow his friends and family to know that the person who did this has to face the consequences of their actions.”
Cops confirmed today that a man had been arrested in connection with the assault.
A spokesman for the National Police said: “A 32-year-old man whose initials are TD was held at Fuerteventura Airport after being identified from CCTV.
“He was handed over to the courts following his arrest.”
A court official for the area said: “He appeared before a judge at Court of Investigation Number Four in Puerto del Rosario.
“He is being investigated on suspicion of a crime of wounding.
“He was released on bail. An investigation is ongoing. The court is awaiting a forensic review and the taking of witness statements.”
Neither the police or court officials were able to confirm his nationality.
The 68-year-old’s brother-in-law told The Nantwich News that Marshall and his partner visit the island “three to four times a year”.
He said: “Lynn had gone back to their apartment, and Marsh stayed for another drink and was walking home when something has happened.
“He was hit by this guy, somewhere near a taxi rank, and he has gone down and hit his head on the concrete floor.”
He continued: “We are also told this man had been thrown out of a bar on the same night before the attack.
Allen Gage, a local councillor for Crewe and Natwich, said in a social media post: “We need justice. A much cherished friend of mine, a gentleman that would give you the shirt from his back was sadly attacked and put in a coma while in Spain just before Christmas.”
The assault happened on December 10, but details of the horrific injuries Marshall suffered have only just emerged.
Gage continued: “He literally crossed the road to help someone out – no surprise there. Mr Marshall Latham, ‘Marsh’ to his friends, continues to fight on in a coma.”
“A community fundraiser has been launched to pursue civil justice. Thanks to all those who have contributed.”
“Fight on Marsh, we will fight for you too.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has confirmed it is supporting the family of a British man who has been hospitalised in Spain.
‘Help Us Get Justice For Marsh’ GoFundMe full statement
“MARSH was involved in an unprovoked attack in Caleta, Fuerteventura, whilst on holiday in the Canary Islands.
“He was walking back to his apartment after a couple of drinks with his friends and was punched out of the blue by someone he did not know.
“This punch resulted in Marsh falling and hitting his head hard on the concrete floor. Marsh was knocked unconscious and an ambulance was called.
“Marsh went to the hospital in Puerto del Rosario and this is where he was intubated, ventilated and underwent a CT scan which showed he had two skull fractures and a bleed on his brain, a very serious injury that required immediate surgical intervention.
“However, the hospital in Fuerteventura is not equipped for such traumatic cases as this so Marsh was transferred via air ambulance to the Insular Hospital in Gran Canaria.
“The surgeons at both hospitals were surprised that he survived the flight as his injuries were that severe.
“Marsh underwent surgery that resulted in 14cm of his skull being removed to decompress the pressure that had built up on his brain. He remained sedated, on a ventilator and was transferred into the intensive care unit for further monitoring.
“Since this initial surgery Marsh had more operations, including a tracheostomy, a bolt put into his skull to measure the pressure, a drain put into his brain to drain excess cerebral spinal fluid that was building up causing more pressure on his brain, he has battled pneumonia twice, fought his way through meningitis that required a wash out and clean up of his brain and he is still fighting despite us being told, not once, but twice, that we need to go and say our goodbyes because the medical staff didn’t think he would make it though the night.
“Unfortunately when Marsh’s sedation was turned off, he did not wake up apart from brief opening of his eyes and small movements of his limbs. Marsh has had further X-rays, CT scans, an MRI scan, blood tests and it is now confirmed that unfortunately he has a traumatic brain injury and the chances that he will recover from this is very unlikely. Marsh will never walk or talk again. He will need round the clock care due to his injuries.
“Marsh is currently still in hospital in Gran Canaria and we hope to be able to bring him back to the UK once he is stable enough to fly.
“His family and friends have started this GoFundMe to help support with his legal fees as his travel insurance doesn’t cover this. We are in the process of appointing a Spanish solicitor and due to the nature of his case, this will be very expensive.
“Marsh is a well loved character both in Nantwich in Cheshire where he lives and in Fuerteventura where he spent a lot of the winter months on holiday with his partner Lynn.
“Lots of people have been in touch to ask how they can help and right now this is the best way you can show your support.
“We want to bring Marsh’s attacker to justice and although this won’t change his medical situation, it will allow his friends and family to know that the person who did this has to face the consequences of their actions.
“Marsh didn’t ask for this, he certainly didn’t deserve this and it was just a case of him being in the wrong place at the wrong time which has caused him to be in this situation.”
