Police in Spain have arrested a van driver who allegedly abducted a young British tourist from a street in a popular holiday hotspot and sexually assaulted her. The suspect is said to have bundled the woman into his vehicle after spotting her walking back to her hotel from a nightclub in Palma, the capital of Mallorca.
Details of the Incident
According to detectives, the man got out of his van, grabbed the victim by the arm, and forced her into the passenger seat. He then drove off at high speed, sexually assaulting her as he drove. The British woman, whose age has not been disclosed, managed to escape only when the alleged offender had to stop at a red light. Two people in a car following them, who had witnessed the abduction, intervened and helped her. They also managed to take a photograph of the suspect's license plate, which was crucial in enabling police to locate and arrest him.
Timeline and Location
The horrifying incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday on Palma's iconic seafront promenade, known as the Paseo Maritimo. The suspect, whose age and nationality have not been revealed, was arrested a few hours after the incident.
Police Statement
Confirming the arrest, a spokesman for the National Police in the Balearic Islands said: 'Officers have arrested a man as the suspected author of a crime of sexual assault, for forcing a tourist into a van and sexually assaulting her.' The National Police's UFAM unit initiated an investigation following the incident in the early hours of May 10 on Palma's seafront promenade, which led to the victim filing a formal complaint.
'She had left a nightspot to head to her hotel. During her walk back, a van driven by a man stopped beside her, and he got out to grab hold of her and force her into the vehicle. He then began to drive at high speed with her in the passenger seat, leaving her unable to get out. Suddenly, he introduced his fingers into her private parts. He had to stop at a red light, and seeing a car pull up beside them, the woman asked for help and was able to escape from the van.'
'Moments earlier, the two occupants of the car had seen the suspect force the woman into the van and drive off, and they had followed to try to help her. Before she escaped the van, the witnesses were able to take a picture of the number plate. The male van driver was arrested hours later by police on suspicion of being the author of the sexual assault.'
Related Incident
On May 1, a foreign tourist, whose nationality has not been revealed, was allegedly sexually assaulted on waste ground in the Majorcan city of Manacor, halfway between Palma and the island's east coast. The assault was carried out by two men she had met in a bar, who are said to have spiked her drink. The holidaymaker reported feeling unwell after leaving her drink unattended to go to the toilet. The men offered to drive her back to her hotel but allegedly took her to waste ground and sexually assaulted her on the back seat of the car. Police were called by locals she begged for help after managing to escape the vehicle. Two arrests have been made in that case.
More to follow.
