A British holidaymaker is in critical condition in hospital after suffering catastrophic brain injuries in an unprovoked attack while on holiday with his partner in Fuerteventura.
Marshall Latham, age 68, from Nantwich in Cheshire, was assaulted in Caleta de Fuste, and has since been transferred to Gran Canaria Hospital, where he was in intensive care.
According to reports in the Nantwich News, his family has been warned by doctors that he is unlikely to walk or talk again.
Arrest and Investigation
The National Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the attack, reportedly apprehending a man as he attempted to board a flight to Glasgow. Witnesses have stated that the assault was unprovoked, with no prior altercation between the two men.
Latham had been out socialising with friends before the incident. His partner, Lynn, had returned to their apartment, while he stayed for another drink before heading home.
His brother-in-law, Jim Casey, explained: “He was walking home when something happened. He was hit by this man near a taxi rank, fell, and hit his head on the concrete. Witnesses told police it was a completely unprovoked punch, and they didn’t even know each other.”
The suspect had allegedly been ejected from a bar for rowdy behaviour earlier in the evening.
Devastating Injuries and Critical Condition
Following the assault, Latham was initially treated at Fuerteventura General hospital in Puerto del Rosario, where scans revealed two skull fractures and a brain bleed. Subsequently, he was airlifted to the Insular Hospital in Gran Canaria, where emergency surgery was performed.
Doctors removed a 14cm section of his skull to relieve pressure on his brain. He was heavily sedated and on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with little hope of recovery.
Jim Casey added: “The surgeons were surprised he survived the flight. He has since had further surgeries, including a tracheostomy, a bolt inserted into his skull to measure brain pressure, and a drain fitted to remove excess fluid.”
Despite doctors twice telling the family to prepare for the worst, Latham continues to fight for his life. However, medical assessments confirm he has a traumatic brain injury, and he will require round-the-clock care for the rest of his life.
A recent update on his condition on Facebook has given good news that he is now breathing on his own for varying amounts of time and is stable enough to be moved out of ICU and onto a ward.
Family’s Fight for Justice
Latham’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise £20,000 for legal costs as they prepare for a court case and hope to repatriate him, and more than £6,700 has already been raised.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has confirmed it is in contact with Spanish authorities regarding the case.
A spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has been hospitalised in the Canary Islands and are in contact with local authorities.”
Latham and his partner were regular visitors to Fuerteventura, travelling there three to four times a year. His family remains by his side as he continues to fight for his life in hospital.
