A SCOT is believed to have been killed in a violent robbery while drinking at a bar in Brazil.

The 39-year-old English teacher, named locally as Jason Richard Stevens, died on the way to hospital after being shot as he played a snooker-style game in Sao Paulo.

Two gunmen reportedly burst into the bar in Interlagos in the south of the city at around 11pm local time on Wednesday (2am Thursday BST) and started threatening and robbing customers.

It is understood Mr Stevens was shot after trying to persuade one of the robbers to lower his weapon. He was reportedly shot several times in the stomach, leg and arms. Witnesses told the police they believe the gunman felt intimidated by the 6ft 2in expatriate, who also worked as a translator.

Bar owner Fumihiro Yoshima said: "I think the robber shot him because he felt scared at how tall and strong he was."

The criminals fled the scene after the shooting and police were still hunting them last night.

Mr Stevens is thought to have been living in Brazil for several years and had a school-age daughter with an ex-partner. The Scot taught English at St Paul's School, a prestigious bilingual school in Sao Paulo, which was the first in South America to be recognised by the UK Government as a British School Overseas.

The tragedy comes six months after 48-year-old Scots oil worker, Peter Campsie, was shot dead by two gunmen during an attempted carjacking in Rio de Janeiro.