PANJIM: Fiona MacKeown, the mother of a Devon teenager – Scarlett
Keeling, who was allegedly murdered in Goa, expressed her anguish after a key
witness failed to take the stand in the long awaited trial.
Scarlett Keeling, from Barnstaple, was on holiday with her
family in Goa in 2008 when she was allegedly attacked on Anjuna Beach.
Last week a key witness in the trial pulled out and now Scarlett’s
mother, Fiona MacKeown, has revealed how the eight-year ordeal has left the
family feeling “drained”.
“For him to drop out is gutting, his statement gave us
a watertight case,” she told a Plymouth-based The Herald website.
Fiona has spent the last
eight years travelling back and forth between North Devon and India trying to
get justice for her daughter.
Samson D’Souza, 30, and Placido Carvalho, 42, have been
charged with her murder and grievous sexual assault.
Fiona said: “After the events of this week I’m feeling
pretty precarious.
“We’ve spent so long trying to get to the bottom of
Scarlett’s murder we all feel drained.”
The trial appears to be on uncertain ground at the moment
after the UK Government warned Scarlett’s family the case was likely to
collapse due an important British witness’s decision to not take the stand.
The prosecution has been relying on the testimony of Michael
Mannion, 44. It was previously understood he witnessed the murder.
Mr Mannion was living in Goa with D’Souza at the time of
Scarlett’s death. Despite talking to the media about what he witnessed in 2008
Mr Mannion now appears unlikely to testify in the case.
Miss MacKeown is hoping that, despite Mr Mannion’s refusal
to give evidence, justice can still be done.
“It’s now up to the judge to piece together the
evidence.”
All the way through the trial the family has been
scrutinised by the media here in the UK and in India.
Fiona has not always had an easy relationship with the
press.
In 2008 she faced questions from the media about her
family’s lifestyle and her decision to leave 15-year-old Scarlett with an older
male friend before she died.
“I didn’t appreciate the press criticising our
lifestyle, it didn’t add anything to the case or to the story,” said
Fiona.
“That said the press has helped us to keep the case in
the public eye.”
