Hospitalised Briton was shot, stabbed and carved with a 'Glasgow smile'

A British man was expected to be discharged from hospital on Thursday (yesterday) after treatment for serious firearm and stab wounds. The victim had apparently been tortured, possibly as part of a gang reprisal.

Among other injuries, he had two long cuts, one each side of his mouth, a disfigurement known as a clown's smile or a Joker's smile, after the character from Batman. In the UK the horrific face carving is usually known as a 'Glasgow smile' and used in reprisal attacks between members of rival gangs.

The man was admitted to the Costa del Sol hospital last Saturday night and, according to sources, was expected to be discharged yesterday (Thursday) after an operation at the weekend.

Multiple injuries

In addition to the Glasgow smile, he is reported to have multiple injuries caused by a bladed weapon and a firearm, as well as fractured bones.

Police have been involved since the man was admitted to the hospital and are investigating what happened.

Sources close to the investigation say that the victim has not so far cooperated but they have been able to discover that he had only arrived in Marbella two hours before the attack, which suggested that he had been lured into a trap on visiting the town.

The shots he received are to his legs, which police believe were a warning and not an attempt to kill him. The brutality of the torture is leading police to believe that it is linked to revenge.

Police are so far not suggesting any link between the death in a shootout with police of another British man, Sean Hercules, on Monday afternoon.