Three men have been charged with the murder of an Irish teenager who died in Australia on Saturday after he fell from the fourth floor of his apartment building while fleeing an armed robbery, police said.
Cian English, 19, originally from Carlow Town, fell to his death from his apartment in Surfers Paradise in Brisbane as he fled three attackers armed with knives.
Police say that English fell over the balcony at the View Avenue apartment building while the robbers chased him at knife-point.
A passerby found his body at around 3:15 a.m. local time on Saturday morning, according to the Queensland Police Service.
Three men - aged 18, 20, and 22 - have been charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted robbery in relation to the incident.
Family and friends of Cian English have paid tribute to a “gentle soul” who moved to Australia with his Irish family in recent years. https://t.co/LlQjC62Gz6
— Gold Coast Bulletin (@GCBulletin) May 25, 2020
Each suspect had their cases briefly read in Australian courts on Monday.
Read more: Irish teen's body brutally dismembered by crime gang
Lachlan Paul Soper-Lagas, 18, was mentioned in Beenleigh Magistrates Court, while Jason Ryan Knowles, 22, and Hayden Paul Kratzmann, 20, were mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court.
None of the suspects were required to appear in court on Monday.
The men were allegedly staying in a unit located above English's apartment and police claim that the men were trying to rob English and his friend of a phone and some clothes when he tried to escape via the apartment's balcony.
Police say that they found the suspects in a semi-conscious state after taking stolen prescription drugs.
Police Superintendant Brendan Smith said that the threats made by the suspects caused English to jump from the balcony.
"The consequences of the robbery and threats made to the victim put the consequences on those three offenders.
"There are tragic circumstances around this. We have a young man who was on the Gold Coast with his friends, one thing led to another, and he is now dead."
Cian English grew up in Ireland but moved to Australia when his family relocated there five years ago.
His family released a short statement asking for privacy while they come to terms with their loss.
"Our family is devastated by this tragedy and respectfully ask for privacy as the police investigation into the circumstances continues."
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