Laurence Dollimore
THE family of a Briton who was killed by a drug driver in Mallorca have claimed the authorities ‘abandoned’ them.
The sister of victim Adrian O’Kane, Stephanie, has said they were left to fend for themselves by both the Spanish cops and British consulate.
Birmingham father-of-two Adrian was killed while returning to his hotel on April 23 during a stag weekend in Magaluf.
The 40-year-old had no travel insurance, but a fundraising appeal saw more than €35,000 raised in less than two weeks, enough to have his body flown home.
Stephanie, 44, told the Birmingham Mail: “The police have not been in touch with us at all.
“The language barrier was a problem and because it was a Sunday there weren’t many people around to help.
“The police woman on duty couldn’t even tell me where Adrian was.”
Stephanie said the British Consulate had simply directed devastated relatives to a website.
“They have said they supported us but really they didn’t,” she said.
“We called them.
“I would have thought the police in Spain would have contacted the police in the UK and then they would have advised us.
“There isn’t anybody to guide you when something like this happens.
“We have now got the legal ball rolling and we have the initial police reports but we have not had any official police contact.
“It was his friend Danny who phoned us on Sunday night to tell us what had happened, not the police or Consulate.”
Adrian was one of five siblings.
“I don’t think any of us can believe it’s true,” added Stephanie.
Adrian was in Magaluf with a group of around 30 friends for his friend Danny Nicholson’s stag do.
Stephanie addressed claims that he had been lying in the middle of the road when he was hit by the car.
“We don’t believe that,” she said.
“We don’t know if this is a miscommunication.
“I have spoken to the two friends he was with and they said he was not drunk.
“Obviously they had all had a few drinks – it was a stag do.”
To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/HelptobringAdrianOkanehome .
Click here to read more Mallorca News from The Olive Press.
My deepest sympathy to the family and a lesson to learn don’t go anywhere without Travel Insurance.