A fifth person is being held over the murders of two British medical students in Malaysia.

The man was arrested yesterday and is not thought to have been involved in the stabbings of Newcastle University students Aidan Brunger and Neil Dalton.

The 55-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of helping the killers to dispose of bloodied clothes and the murder weapon.

Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Dr Chai Khin Chung said: “He was arrested following the interviews.

“He was not in the car on the night of the killings, but is suspected of helping the other four suspects dispose of evidence after the fatal stabbings.”

The man has been remanded in custody until Friday.

Aidan Brunger and his friend Neil Dalton, who were both 22, were killed last Wednesday after a night out in Kuching.

Aidan, a former Rainham Mark Grammar School pupil, was at the end of a six-week work placement at a hospital there.

Four men are reported to have confessed to killing the pair after they were found with stab wounds following a reported argument with a group of local men.

Aidan, who lived in Hempstead, and Neil were students at Newcastle University.

Last week, his former head teacher, Simon Decker, paid tribute to Aidan.

He said: “Aidan was a hugely talented and popular student during has time at RMGS and the whole school community will be so shocked to hear this dreadful news.”

Aidan and Neil, who had gone to Borneo with five other medical students, were found with stab wounds at about 4am on Wednesday.

Chai Khin Chung, Sarawak’s deputy police chief, said: “All the four men have admitted to the crime. We are investigating them for murder.”

Deputy Insp General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin said the suspects, aged in their 30s, were caught in Kuching.

He told the Malaysia Times: “We believe the incident stemmed from a quarrel while both victims were at an entertainment centre in Kuching. We are investigating the motive.”

Arrangements are being made to bring Aidan's body back to Kent.