Liam Payne’s tycoon ‘pal’ Roger Nores faces STRICTER charges & 15yrs in jail after ‘failing to prevent 1D star’s death’
LIAM Payne’s businessman friend who left the signer just 50 minutes before he died could face harsher charges.
Multimillionaire Rogelio “Roger” Nores has been charged with negligent homicide over the One Direction star’s death – Argentina’s equivalent of manslaughter.
Judge Laura Bruniard ruled five people each played a part in the star’s death – and added: “What happened was foreseeable.”
Liam, 31, died after falling 30ft from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on October 16.
She put the blame on two hotel workers who sold him cocaine, two others who helped “drag” him to his room before leaving him alone and vulnerable, and pal Nores.
The judge accused Nores of “abandoning him [Liam] to his fate”.
Liam’s grieving family hope “justice can finally be done” following the charges.
But prosecutors are now considering appealing the judge’s decision to only charge Nores with negligent homicide.
They had requested his indictment on crimes that could have led to the businessman being jailed for between five and 15 years – namely abandoning a person who subsequently died as well as supplying drugs.
A conviction on the manslaughter charge would see him handed a maximum five-year prison sentence under Argentinian law and he could even end up with a suspended jail term.
The judge based her indictment decision on the fact Nores was not at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires when Liam fell to his death around 5pm following a drink and drugs binge.
She also said in her ruling she had found no evidence the businessman, who has been banned from leaving Argentina while he continues to be investigated, had supplied Liam with drugs.
Last night public prosecutor Andres Madrea was said to be analysing a possible appeal.
It comes as Nores and the other four suspects indicted alongside him study their own attempts to try to get the charges against them dropped before the case gets to trial.
Earlier this month Mr Madrea notched up a victory against the judge after getting a higher court to reverse her decision to rule herself out of the ongoing criminal probe sparked by Liam’s death on a technicality.
Mrs Bruniard had claimed the case had to be investigated by a conventional Buenos Aires court under Argentinian law because one of the allegations was Liam had been abandoned before his death.
Mr Madrea’s submission that her decision was “premature” was accepted on appeal.
The other two men charged with manslaughter are chief receptionist Esteban Grassi and head of security Gilda Martin.
The judge has pointed the finger at them over their decision to move Liam from the lobby to his third-floor room when he couldn’t stand on his feet because of his prior drink and drug binge.
She said it “created a legally unacceptable risk to his life” which had “foreseeable” consequences.
Waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz, 24, and 21-year-old Ezequiel David Pereyra, now suspended from his job at the Buenos Aires hotel, have been charged with supplying Liam with drugs.
The judge said in her ruling there was evidence pointing to both men selling the singer cocaine on two separate occasions.
Mr Paiz’s lawyer Fernando Madeo appeared to indicate he would appeal the decision to indict his client in the coming days after blasting the judge’s decision yesterday as “illegitimate, unfounded and arbitrary.”
He said: “Brian made a very extensive statement and gave all the facts.
“Among them, he stated that he met Liam on two occasions.
“Among several issues, which they did in a private environment, they also consumed narcotics but it is not true that he sold him drugs.”
One Direction stars pay tribute to Liam Payne
Liam's former One Direction bandmates released a joint statement after his death, as well as emotional individual tributes to the tragic star.
They said: We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say.
But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.
The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us.
We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam. – Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.
Louis Tomlinson wrote: “His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on.
“Thank you for shaping us Liam.
“I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was.
“I wish I got a chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you.”
Zayn Malik said: “Liam I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives.
“I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life.
“When I was missing home as a 17-year-old kid, you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved.”
He added: “When it came to the music, Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense.
“I knew nothing in comparison, I was a novice child with no experience and you were already a professional.
“I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly.
“I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever”.
And Harry Styles wrote: “I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing.
“His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it.
“Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious.
“He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving.
“The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend.
“My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did.”
Niall Horan said: “I’m absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn’t feel real.
“Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel – happy and secure.
“All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness.
“We got to live out our wildest dreams together, and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime.”
Nores told a recent TMZ documentary examining Liam’s life and death that he was “in good spirits and perfectly balanced” the day he died.
He refuted claims the singer was acting erratically and was intoxicated shortly before his fatal fall.
The businessman had previously protested his innocence and denied claims he was Liam’s ‘de facto’ manager.
He said in a statement shortly after it emerged he was being officially investigated before being charged: “I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened.
“There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left.
“I could have never imagined something like this would happen.
“I’ve given my statement to the prosecutor on October 17 as a witness and I haven’t spoken to any police officer or prosecutor ever since.
“I wasn’t Liam’s manager. He was just my very dear friend.”
Argentinian prosecutors referred to Nores in a lengthy statement they released yesterday as the “victim’s representative” although they identified him only by his initials R.L.N.
The judge in her indictment ruling accused Nores of “failing in his duty of care, assistance and help” towards Liam and “abandoning him to his fate, knowing he couldn’t fend for himself”.