An international sports star has been arrested alongside his brother, who works as a physio, after a dad of four was allegedly “beaten to death” outside a nightclub
A rugby international and his physio brother have been arrested on suspicion of beating a dad-of-four to death outside of a nightclub.
A fight involving the victim and others kicked off inside the venue in the small hours of Sunday (August 9). Once outside, Antonio Perrotta was reportedly set upon and brutally beaten.
Some of his friends found him sprawled on the ground outside the club and took him back to his home in Fuscaldo, not realising at that stage the true extent of his injuries. The fatal incident unfolded in Sangineto, Italy. His condition worsened at home, and he was taken to a hospital in Cetraro before being transferred to another facility in Cosenza.
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Despite medics’ best efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries at around 6.30am on Monday (August 10), aged just 34.
CCTV footage and witness statements helped police identify the suspects, who were arrested in Belvedere Marittimo on August 11. They had reportedly bought plane tickets and were gearing up to leave Italy when they were arrested.
They have since been identified as brothers Domenico and Umberto Orsino, originally hailing from Italy’s Calabria region, but living in Luxembourg.
Domenico, 22, turns out for the Luxembourg national rugby team, while 24-year-old Umberto works as a physiotherapist.
One avenue being explored is that the altercation began because the siblings had gained entry to the venue without paying for admission.
Antonio was employed as a manual worker but had taken on additional, part-time employment as security at Il Castello nightclub to help provide for his spouse, Alba, and their four youngsters.
The Cosenza-based Giorgio La Pira volunteer association, which was familiar with Antonio, revealed that “during the night-time hours he worked in private security”.
Nevertheless, Il Castello has emphasised he “was not part of the venue’s staff” and “no violent incident took place inside the nightclub or in the area directly outside it”.
Il Castello’s assertions are under investigation. Certain accounts suggest Antonio was acquainted with the club’s security personnel and may have been employed by them unofficially.