The family of a ‘gentle’ Sevilla native is demanding answers following his death from a suspected one-punch attack at a pub in the UK.
Juan Manuel Andrey Valenzuela, 48, died at Southampton General Hospital three days after receiving a forceful blow to the face in the early hours of New Year’s Day, causing him to fall backwards and hit his head.
According to reports, he went into cardiac arrest at the pub, situated on London Street in Andover.
A 36-year-old Brit was arrested over the alleged attack and charged with wounding/inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent.
No further information has been released, although a hearing is scheduled for February 4.
Juan had been living in Andover for more than a decade when the incident occurred during the early hours of January 1.
Juan’s partner, Victoria Garcia Gonzalez, originally from Palomares del Rio, told Diario de Sevilla that she has received very limited information about how the incident unfolded and says she feels ‘abandoned’ by Spanish diplomatic services in the UK.
The couple had moved to Andover in 2015 after struggling with job insecurity in Spain. Victoria works as a data analyst, while Juan was employed as a CNC machine operator specialising in laser metal cutting.
According to her account, she had stayed at home and went to bed alone on New Year’s Eve.
Several hours later, police officers arrived at the house and informed her that her partner had been taken to hospital.
She was initially told that scans showed no serious injuries, but doctors later confirmed that he had suffered a massive brain haemorrhage and irreversible brain damage after being without a heartbeat for around 20 minutes.
Juan, a registered organ donor, was kept on life support until donation procedures could be completed.
Victoria has also expressed frustration with the British legal process, explaining that, unlike in Spain, victims’ families cannot act as a private prosecution.
She has been informed that a preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 4 in Southampton, where a judge will decide whether there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed.
She told Diario de Sevilla that her sole aim is justice, not compensation, and has questioned how a fatal blow could be considered accidental.
She said: ‘My interest is that justice be done; I’m not seeking financial compensation. We’re talking about murder.
‘The alleged assailant claimed it was unintentional, and I ask myself, can you hit someone unintentionally?’
She said Juan was a sensitive person, ‘with a heart of gold; he always wanted the best for everyone.’
She added: ‘He was always there for others, affectionate, kind, and he never once fought or hit anyone.’
British authorities have not released further details while the investigation remains ongoing.
The Spanish Eye has contacted Andover Police for comment.
