British man charged with homicide after Portugal festival attendee from UK fatally stabbed
A British man suspected of killing a fellow festival-goer in Portugal while suffering a drug-induced psychotic episode has been charged with homicide and the desecration of a corpse.
Josh James Menkens, 28, the organiser of the “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” in central Portugal, is suspected of killing an unnamed 37-year-old victim at the festival last September.
Police say the victim, another British man, was lured to a secluded spot in Libelinha Venture, a retreat in Pedrogao Grande, between Lisbon and Porto, where he was then stabbed several times with “exceptional violence” before the perpetrator tried to hide the body under branches and clothes.
“An indictment was filed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the district of Leiria against Joshua James Menkens, for the crimes of homicide, possession of a prohibited weapon and desecration of a corpse,” the police said in a statement. “Joshua underwent psychiatric evaluation, with the result that at the time he suffered from a psychic anomaly ‘psychotic episode/psychosis’.”
The statement added that some witnesses have said in their testimonies that Mr Menkens had “taken hard drugs during the event”.
The Portuguese magistrate requested Mr Menkens be moved to a psychiatric hospital while he was on remand, and a file has been sent to the judge investigating the case, the statement said.
Mr Menkens was arrested the day after the incident, which happened on 24 September. Police said he admitted to the small crowd of festival-goers what he had done, before two people the following day accompanied Mr Menkens to the nearby police station.
His initial claims had been met with disbelief but a group then reportedly visited the scene of the crime.
Detectives initially struggled to find a motive given the victim allegedly only met his attacker during the holiday.
Tensions at the festival had reportedly been rising because of poor ticket sales, exacerbated by cancellations because of heavy rain. Mr Menkens was said to be “upset” by the issue.
Mr Menken’s father Troy toldThe Times that he did not believe his son, who he described as a “genuine, caring guy”, was capable of murder.
A date for Mr Menken’s trial has not yet been set. In the Portuguese legal system, the period between arrest and trial is typically between six and 18 months.
Trials by jury are infrequent in Portugal and cases are commonly overseen by three judges. British criminals sentenced in the country can apply for transfer to a prison in the UK, according to the Foreign Office.
