THE former lover of Fiona MacKeown, the mother of teenager Scarlett Keeling, who was killed in Goa in 2008, has been found dead at his Torquay home.

Adam Foster, 39, was pronounced dead by paramedics on Monday after they went to his Victoria Road home. He is the father of Scarlett's younger siblings Trinity Willow and Aurora Lupe.

A cause of death has not been established, although a postmortem examination has taken place, explained Coroner's officer Judith Dunn.

A police spokesman said Mr Foster's next of kin had been informed of the death.

Ms MacKeown, who is just about to fly back out to Goa for the trial of two men accused of killing 15-year-old Scarlett, would not comment on Mr Foster's death, saying she had only found out earlier on Wednesday.

Miss MacKeown's Indian counsel Vikram Varma said she would "depose" before the Goa Children Court today, adding: "I hope her presence will assist the court in establishing certain key facts of the case."

In an earlier interview, Miss MacKeown said Scarlett and Mr Foster were close, adding: "She would always run and hug him and tell him that she loved him when she saw him."

Ms MacKeown said she had met Mr Foster in 2000.

She added: "We were together for about four years. Scarlett did think of him as her dad, she would tell people he was her father."

Scarlett was killed while on holiday with her mother and her new partner.

Her semi-naked body was found on Anjuna Beach in Goa.