04/08/2009

Couple Injured In Machete Attack

A British couple have been seriously injured in a machete attack on the Caribbean island of Tobago.

The Foreign Office named the victims as Peter Greene, 65, and his wife, Miriam, 59, originally from Reading, Berkshire.

The husband and wife were attacked on Saturday afternoon. They were airlifted to a regional medical centre in Trinidad where they are being treated.

Mr Greene is in a critical condition after being placed in a medically-induced coma to treat severe head injuries, while his wife is in a serious but stable condition.

The couple had been living in the town of Bacolet along Tobago's southern coast on and off for around 10 years.

Deputy British Commissioner Jeff Patton described the attack as a "horrible crime".

Tobago is considered the safer part of the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago.

The island's police superintendent Nadir Khan said: "It's a matter of serious concern. This is another serious attack on tourists."

Mr Khan said robbery has not been ruled out as a motive.

He said the incident was similar to the unsolved killing in October of Swedish couple Anna Sundsval, 62, and Oke Olsoon, 73, at their home in the Bon Accord area of Tobago, which is approximately seven miles from where Saturday's attack happened.

Authorities detained one suspect in that case but released him due to lack of evidence.

(GK/KMcA)

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