Irishman (58) arrested for attempted murder of John George acquaintance in Spain
A 58-year-old Irishman has been arrested in Spain for the attempted murder of another Irish national who had previously been named as having knowledge about the murder of John George.
Dan McMeekin (29) was viciously attacked with a box-cutter knife in the Costa Orihuela area of the Costa Blanca last month.
He had to undergo emergency surgery at Torrevieja University Hospital to save his life after he was stabbed in the neck with a box cutter while he was going to the toilet.
McMeekin previously posted a video online in which he said he should have contacted the family of John George before the 37-year-old was murdered,
A 58-year-old man, described as an Irish national, was arrested by the Civil Guard for attempted murder on June 30 and brought before a Spanish court this week.
Spanish police have claimed the arrested man has previous convictions for 'homicide' and drug dealing.
McMeekin was viciously attacked in the early hours of June 15 on a sealed-off street near a small shopping centre in La Zenia.
The stabbing suspect is led away by Spanish police
News in 90 Seconds - July 10th
It is believed McMeekin was knifed after being approached from behind while urinating next to an electrical transformer.
The attacker inflicted a deep cut on his neck with the box cutter blade.
Having interviewed the victim, officers were able to identify the suspect, although he had left his home days earlier and his whereabouts were unknown.
However, a police patrol from Orihuela Costa managed to locate the suspect in a local park on June 30. After confirming his identity with the support of the Pilar de la Horadada Judicial Police Team, he was arrested.
According to the news site, Vegabajadigital.com, as the suspect was not carrying any ID however, Spanish police sought the help of Irish authorities who provided a fingerprint check.
This confirmed that he has a criminal record in Ireland for serious crimes, including homicide with a firearm and drug trafficking.
Having been charged with attempted murder, he was brought before Orihuela Court of Instruction No 3 which ordered his provisional release with a restraining order against the victim.
McMeekin, from West Belfast, was attacked in the early hours of Sunday, in La Zenia, near Torrevieja.
Despite local news reports stating there were 'pools of blood' found at the scene of the early morning attack, McMeekin survived the shocking incident and has been recovering in hospital.
It has also been reported in the press in Spain that the authorities have revealed McMeekin told them he knew who had stabbed him but that he would not be telling them.
John George and Dan McMeekin
They also revealed McMeekin has a criminal record and it's well known he has a series of convictions for domestic abuse against a former partner.
McMeekin, who is known to be extremely vulnerable due to substance abuse issues, became a target of social media trolls and amateur investigators after the murder of John George.
McMeekin knew John George well and was in a bar in Spain where it's claimed a plan was hatched to attack the Belfast man who was later found murdered.
The father of two was shot and his body left in a rural area in the Alicante region around December 14 although it wasn't discovered for several weeks.
Supporters of John George and his family believe Dan McMeekin has information relevant to the investigation. However, he has never been arrested or charged with anything.
McMeekin posted a video to his Facebook page back in January where he was visibly upset and appeared to be high on drugs or drink.
He was responding to wild speculation on social media and named one TikToker who he felt was not telling the truth about him and what he knew or didn't know about John George.
Slurring his words, he says: 'I am doing my best to help in so many ways... I am guilty, guilty of not telling the family sooner. I am vulnerable, this is breaking me, I have a heart, I do.
'The truth will be told, what I know is fact. It's been a hard time, I have helped. There's a lot of yous who don't know about the good I have done so stop going by social media and stop jumping to conclusions.
'I know what the family is going through, please stop jumping to conclusions, I am helping.'
In January Belfast lawyers acting for the family of John George named Dan McMeekin as being one of two men who was due to appear in court in Spain – not as suspects but to tell the court what they knew about the lead-up to the murder.
Two weeks after John George's body was found, Belfast legal firm KRW Law said on January 31: 'We can confirm that summonses have issued for the attendance of two persons to answer enquiries in relation to the murder of Mr George. We have been in touch with the authorities in connection with this latest development.
'We understand that each person was originally due to appear at the designated Preliminary Court sitting in Torrevieja, Spain on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at 9.30am but are now expected to appear on Friday, January 31 in the same court.
'We are advised the two specified persons are identified as Michael Maly and Daniel Anthony McMeekin.
'The family now face an anxious wait to learn what each individual has to say. They are calling upon them to take what they say as 'a final chance to come clean' on the lead-up to and the circumstances surrounding their son's murder before Christmas last year...'
Czech national Michael Maly was later arrested and appeared in court as a murder suspect but was released on bail and has yet to be charged with any offence.
Jonny Smyth and Madison Allen
Meanwhile 27-year-old Newtownabbey man Jonny Smyth was eventually arrested in Portugal having gone on the run before being extradited back to Spain where he has also been named as a suspect and held on remand in prison – but like Maly has not yet been charged with any offence.
Sources say Jonny Smyth had helped Dan McMeekin after finding him in Spain in a bad way on drugs.
But Smyth turned on Dan and gave him a beating after it's claimed he found Dan doing cocaine in the apartment Smyth shared with his partner – now wife – Madison.
McMeekin has been in jail back home in Northern Ireland several times and was convicted of a number of nasty domestic abuse offences.
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