Bench Detention

A Finnish vagrant has been arrested by the Guardia Civil over the death of Steven Allford, a 51-year-old British man found dead a fortnight ago outside Malaga airport, with ham on his buttocks and his body bound to a bench.

Investigators believe the British tramp was targeted by a fellow vagrant, described as a “giant”, following a brewing row over food. Allford’s acquaintances are reported to have said that he made several enemies by refusing to share meals with other vagrants – but expected their food when it came their way.

A postmortem showed Mr Allford, who had done prison time in Spain for fraud, had probably choked to death on his own vomit after a heavy drinking session.