I am innocent
Briton arrested over death of Scot who plunged to her death from hotel balcony during hen party trip to Benidorm denies any involvement in the tragedy
THE British man arrested over the death of a Scotswoman on a hen party in Benidorm yesterday insisted he is innocent.
Joseph Graham, 32, was held by police after Kirsty Maxwell, 27, fell ten storeys from the balcony of his apartment at the Spanish resort.
He was quizzed on suspicion of homicide and spent two nights in a police cell before being allowed to return to his Nottingham home on Tuesday.
In a statement released by his partner Harriet Burley, who is the mother of his children, Mr Graham said: ‘I am innocent of any wrongdoing.
‘I have been advised by my Spanish lawyer that, despite me not being charged with any wrongdoing, the investigation into this tragic accident is still ongoing.
‘Therefore, it is sub judice and I am unable to say anything at this time other than that I am innocent of any wrongdoing.
‘I would therefore ask you to respect my privacy until such time as the authorities have completed their investigations.’
Mrs Maxwell, from Livingston, West Lothian, had been at the Costa Blanca resort with 20 other party guests. Her room was directly below that of Mr Graham and four friends, who were in a separate party.
Investigators have not determined if Mrs Maxwell was pushed, jumped or fell, and are yet to drop the investigation into recruitment manager Mr Graham.
Mrs Maxwell, who married husband Adam last September, went to bed about 4am on Saturday at the Apartamentos Payma.
It is believed she woke up shortly before 8am, left her flat dressed but barefoot, and was let into the men’s apartment after knocking on the door.
Mr Graham is understood to have told police she had been acting ‘mad, drunk or drugged’.
He said she headed for the bathroom before trying to get through an internal window then going on to the balcony.
Mrs Maxwell died instantly after plunging 100ft from the two-star holiday block.
Detectives are understood to be considering whether she may have been been sleepwalking before she fell. They are also looking into whether she became disorientated after waking up and leaving her apartment. On Tuesday, a friend of Mr Graham said the fact he had not been charged and could return to the UK ‘speaks for itself’.
Mr Graham appeared before a judge on Monday after reportedly being too drunk to make a statement to police when arrested at his hotel room.
Police sources told the Diario Informacion newspaper he was also held to stop him from leaving the country while a preliminary investigation was carried out.
Judge Ana Garcia Isabel Galbis rejected the plea from Mrs Maxwell’s family to remand him in custody. But she warned he may have to return to Spain. Investigators said there was no evidence pointing to criminal wrongdoing – but her family have hired a lawyer to fight for a prosecution.
Officers are said to believe Mrs Maxwell’s death was an accident, with no signs of any criminality.
Staff at the apartment block believe she fell, possibly after leaning too far over the balcony rail.
‘We do not think it was a criminal act, but just an accident,’ said a member of staff at the front desk.
Mrs Maxwell’s devastated husband and her parents flew to Benidorm after being told about her death.
They are being looked after by British consular officials in the resort and are making plans to return to Scotland with her body.
An appeal to pay for Mrs Maxwell’s body to be flown home had by last night raised nearly £30,000.
Her friend Carolynn Simpson, who was also a member of the hen party group, said: ‘We are aiming to raise as much money as we can to bring our beautiful friend Kirsty home to where she belongs after this terrible tragedy.’
‘Acting mad, drunk or drugged’