- Home » Expat News » Scots expat in Portugal fined for burying dead husband in garden
Scots Expat In Portugal Fined For Burying Dead Husband In Garden
Published: | 9 Mar at 6 PM |
Want to get involved?
Become a
Featured Expatand take our interview.
Become a
Local Expertand contribute articles.
Get in
touchtoday!
A Scots widow living in Portugal has been let off with a fine after burying her late husband in their garden.
Edinburgh-born Louise Khan and her husband Alyn had emigrated to Portugal from Fife some four years ago, hoping to enjoy a long and happy retirement in the warm Portuguese sunshine. Sadly, Alyn was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour at a Manchester hospital and decided to return to Portugal and die rather than undergo treatment. After he’d passed away, Louise obeyed his last instructions and buried him in their garden.
Later, she defied his request to keep his death secret from his estranged son and daughter from his previous marriage, letting them know about their father’s death and burial. She also told Killian Steel, Aly’s long-term friend in Edinburgh about his death, saying his instruction were to bury him in their much-loved garden. Talking with local media, Killian said the couple had doted on one another, adding the thought of digging a grave for your beloved partner and burying him is heartbreaking. He added he’s certain Louise thought she was within the law with her decision.
When the news of her action got out, Louise was arrested by local Portuguese police, held in custody for three days and accused of corpse desecration, a crime in Portugal which carries a sentence of imprisonment for up to two years. After hearing rumours, local police had surveyed the garden with ground penetrating radar, thus locating Alyn’s body. The case was heard at regional level in Celorica Da Biera, with the court finding her guilty. Fortunately, the widow was simply fined the sum of 780 euros and would only be jailed for 65 days should she refuse to pay the fine.
Comments » No published comments just yet for this article...
Feel free to have your say on this item. Go on... be the first!
RECENT NEWS
Your Guide To Understanding Financial Jargon And The Market
The more uncertainty there is in global financial markets, it seems the more voices there are using complicated language... Read more
What Is A Provisional Assessment And What Are Its Pros And Cons?
In this article, Viviënne Wormsbecher from Blue Umbrella explains what a provisional assessment in the Netherlands look... Read more
Dealing With Micro-stressors When Moving To A New Country
Much is written and spoken about the large stressful changes you must deal with when moving to a new country, such as ho... Read more
Tokenisation: How To Digitalise Your Dutch Company
Looking to digitalise the assets from your Dutch company? Dennis Vermeulen from House of Companies defines tokenisation... Read more
The Ins And Outs Of Dutch Culture: Your Guide To Integration
In this guide from international moving company AGS Global Solutions Netherlands, they explore the essential tips for ad... Read more
Job Interviews In The Netherlands: A Guide For Internationals
Are you currently looking for a new job as an international in the Netherlands? The team from Undutchables presents this... Read more