Former British ref 'stabbed to death with machete' in Kenya days after reporting dog poisoning attempt

John Middleton was found with stab wounds in the bath of his home in Mombasa, Kenya, after concerns were raised when he failed to turn up to go golfing on Saturday morning.

A British man has been found dead in his Kenyan home, allegedly "hacked to death with a machete" while in his bath, just days after he claimed someone had attempted to poison his dogs. The 75-year-old former football referee, John Middleton, was discovered with multiple stab wounds at his residence in Mombasa, Kenya.

His absence raised alarms when he didn't show up for a golfing session on Saturday morning, said club captain Dinesh Sasan.

John, who had made Kenya his home for over ten years, had previously reported an incident where his dogs were targeted with poison, according to Mr Sasan. Local reports indicate that the machete believed to have been used in the brutal attack was found at the crime scene.

Jamleck Mbuba, the deputy county commissioner for Kisauni, noted there were signs of "a slight struggle". Reports suggest that nothing was taken from John's property, reports the Mirror.

The discovery of John's body came after his housekeeper became worried when he did not respond to the doorbell on Saturday morning. The British High Commission is now involved in the case, and a post-mortem examination was scheduled.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has acknowledged they are "supporting the family of a British man who has died in Kenya and are in contact with the local authorities".

As news of his death spread, tributes began pouring in for John Middleton, remembered by friends as "a wonderful guy". He was an avid golfer, frequently playing at the Nyali Golf and Country Club.

Mr Sasan spoke to the BBC, saying: "I used to be with him three or four times a week. We were all sitting together on Friday evening. He was very polite, he would stick to his principles and was very helpful. I am totally shocked. It is beyond belief."

Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

He revealed that John's home in the Utange district wasn't in an area where many expatriates resided, stating: "Unfortunately the area he was in was not a very secure one". Mr Sasan also disclosed that John's ex-wife, Regina, had been killed during a break-in at her home north of Utange in 2018.

Before moving to Kenya, John had been an amateur football referee in Norwich and was described as a "well-liked match official" by the Norfolk FA. The association released a statement saying: "John officiated for many years in the county and was a committed and well-liked match official. The thoughts of all at Norfolk FA are with John's family and friends at this sad time."

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.