Police are insisting that there were no signs of violence on the Dutch man's lifeless body found on the rocks in the area known as Cresta Quay in St Julian's last week. Police did not confirm claims made by the family of the Dutch man that a Spanish student went through a similar ordeal but made it out alive that same night.

On Friday, the parents of 22-year-old Justin Plette - who had been in Malta for eight months working with gaming company Betsson - said they firmly believe that their son was a victim of a robbery gone wrong.

Speaking at a news conference held in the area where their son's lifeless body was found, his parents insisted that their son was drugged and robbed by unknown persons. He was found dead lying in a foetal position, fully clothed. How he ended up there has still to be established, as his parents said their son was waiting for his friends outside a well-known Paceville establishment in the early hours of Saturday morning - precisely at 1am - but when his friends came out they did not find him; he had disappeared.

They said that when the police found Justin's body, his wallet and phone were missing, and he had scratch marks on his hands and bruising on his face.

Yesterday, this newsroom asked the Police's Communications and Relations Unit whether the toxicological reports have been issued and whether there were any signs of violence found on his body to which it replied: "There were no signs of violence found on his body while toxicological reports of samples lifted during the post-mortem are still to be issued."

Police are still examining CCTV footage taken at the Paceville nightclub Justin was at on the night.

During the news conference held by the family, Justin's father said that on that same night, the exact thing happened to a Spanish student but the young man was lucky enough since he woke up when the drugs wore out. His son did not and died of heart failure. This newsroom tried to establish whether this was the case but the police replied that investigations are still ongoing and a magisterial inquiry is underway.

Justin's mother said that the information given to the press came from people who had spoken to the police about the incident. She also said that the Spanish tourist who was drugged the night before had had recollections the following morning and went to the diving club - in Cresta Quay - to ask whether they had found his missing wallet and mobile phone. "He told them that he had been drugged and dragged to this place because he had no control over his body," she said.

Mr Plette said that Justin was well-liked and had many friends and had plans for a bright future in Malta. His son's body will be taken to Holland for burial.