A 16-year-old British tourist has been arrested on suspicion of trying to rape another UK holidaymaker at her hotel in Tenerife.
The teenager, who had flown to the island with his family, was staying in the resort of Playa de Las Americas.
It is alleged he attempted to enter the 22-year-old’s room and force himself on her. Detectives said today he fled after she resisted and screamed.
He has been remanded to a juvenile detention centre following an appearance at a youth court and banned from leaving Spain pending an ongoing investigation.
The incident happened ‘busy daylight hours’ on July 31 according to police, with a well-placed source saying it occurred around 3pm.
A spokesman for Spain’s National Police in Tenerife said today: ‘Officers have arrested a minor aged 16 as the alleged author of an attempted sex attack on July 31 at a hotel in the municipality of Arona.
‘The quick work of officers led to his rapid location and arrest, preventing the possibility of further attacks.
A general view of Playa de Las Americas on the Spanish island of Tenerife
‘The incident occurred at the door of one of the rooms of the hotel where the victim, aged 22, was approached by an individual who managed to sneak in behind her.
‘She resisted, screaming to raise the alarm, and managing to prevent the attacker from closing the door behind him who reacted by fleeing the scene.
‘The attack happened in busy daylight hours in a busy part of the hotel.
‘CCTV cameras enabled the officers to reconstruct the events of that day and follow the suspect’s movements so they could locate and arrest him at the pool of a nearby hotel.
‘He was a guest there and on holiday with his family.
‘The youngster was handed over to a youth court judge.
‘Given the severity of the allegations against him, he was remanded to a youth detention centre where he will remain in custody, without being afforded the possibility of leaving the island.’
A well-placed police source said: ‘Both the teenage boy and the woman are British. She was holidaying alone and he was with his family.’
He said the incident happened around 3pm on July 31.
Another added: ‘The CCTV images police obtained showed this lad appeared to be on the prowl after entering a hotel he wasn’t staying at.
‘He didn’t know the older woman. She was a complete stranger.’
The names of the hotels, which are next-door to each other on Avenida de Las Americas, have not been disclosed.
