HEYBALI – New details have emerged in the case of Paul Innes Dougan, the British national who died nearly two weeks after an alleged assault at a Kuta bar, revealing that police have identified four suspects, all Australian nationals, who left Indonesia the day after the incident and well before Dougan succumbed to his injuries.
Denpasar Metropolitan Police say the confrontation began on Wednesday, August 5, when Dougan reportedly intervened after witnessing one of the men approach a woman at the venue in a manner that led to a confrontation.
What Witnesses Reportedly Saw
According to Iptu I Gede Adi Saputra Jaya, spokesperson for Denpasar Metropolitan Police, witnesses at the scene said the dispute began when one of the men approached a woman at the bar, and Dougan intervened. “One of the perpetrators reacted negatively, after which the four individuals struck the victim,” Adi said Friday, August 21.
The beating left Dougan with visible facial bruising and reportedly left him struggling to walk in its aftermath. He did not receive medical treatment until three days after the incident, a delay that has drawn attention as investigators piece together the timeline leading to his death.
Suspects Already Out of the Country
Police have identified four suspects in the case, all Australian nationals, using the initials RGG, PAM, JRM, and TRZ. According to immigration crossing records, all four had already left Indonesia by August 6, the day after the alleged assault, well before Dougan’s death nearly two weeks later.
“Based on immigration crossing data, the four individuals are recorded as having left Indonesian territory on August 6, 2026,” Adi said.
Their departure, occurring before the case had even been reported to police, means investigators are now working to establish the full circumstances of the assault largely after the fact, without the suspects present in the country.
An Autopsy to Determine the Official Cause of Death
Police say they still cannot officially confirm what caused Dougan’s death. His body was scheduled for autopsy at Prof. Ngoerah General Hospital in Denpasar on Friday, August 21, a step investigators say is necessary to establish a definitive medical cause.
“Investigators will coordinate with a forensic doctor to carry out the autopsy process on the body,” Adi said.
A Nearly Two-Week Hospital Battle That Ended in Death
Dougan died at BIMC Hospital on Thursday, August 20, after spending close to two weeks under medical care following the alleged assault. Details of the severity of his injuries first became public through his son, Liam Michael Dougan, who shared updates on his personal Instagram account, @liamdougann.
According to Liam’s posts, his father had been treated in intensive care prior to his death, having suffered broken ribs that required three separate surgical procedures and four blood transfusions during his hospitalization, injuries consistent with a serious physical assault rather than a minor altercation.
Police have since taken a formal statement from Liam Dougan as part of their ongoing investigation into his father’s death.
An Investigation Complicated by Timing
With the four named suspects already back in Australia and the exact cause of death still pending confirmation through autopsy, the case now hinges on international cooperation and forensic evidence gathered well after the fact. Denpasar Police have not indicated whether they intend to pursue extradition or seek assistance from Australian authorities, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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