Suspect in Michaela murder taken to hospital

Adelina Campos

A SUSPECT charged in connection with the murder of Michaela Harte in Mauritius was admitted to hospital after showing signs of stress.

The Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) chose to move security officer Dassen Narayanen (26) to a hospital in the Mauritian capital, Port Louis, this week after his nose started bleeding profusely from stress.

Narayanen was charged with conspiracy after it emerged that he had given the electronic swipe card to Michaela's room to a Legends Hotel colleague shortly before she was murdered in her honey-moon suite.

Local press reported that he started having "hallucinations" of the 27-year-old teacher from Tyrone this week, after he confessed to his part in the crime, but police have denied these claims.

Detective Inspector Ranjit Jokhoo of the MCIT said that Narayanen's physical symptoms had been the only reason for his trip to the hospital.

"The doctor said he was suffering from stress, and that was causing his nose to bleed," Mr Jokhoo said.

Narayanen is believed to have stayed in the hospital overnight and taken back to his police cell on Friday.

The suspect's legal counsel, Ms Poonum Devi Sookun revealed she had not been informed of her client's condition.

hnews@herald.ie