Agents of the National Police have successfully captured and placed before the courts the alleged perpetrators of a serious sexual assault that occurred in the early hours of 8 August in the municipality of Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. The suspects, two men aged 38 and 36, both of Spanish nationality, have been remanded in custody by court order after forcing two young women in their twenties, also Spanish, to get into their vehicle while they were waiting for a taxi.
The swift response of one of the victims, who managed to escape and alert emergency services, was crucial in initiating the investigation that led to the arrest of both men.
The Vehicle
According to police investigations, the events unfolded around 5 a.m. The two young women were on the street looking for a taxi to return home when—under unknown circumstances—they accepted the offer from the now-detained men to drive them in their car. Sources from the investigation reported to this newspaper that the car was a rental vehicle and that the victims did not know their assailants prior to this incident.
Shortly after, the two men stopped the car in a secluded area outside the urban centre of Puerto de la Cruz and attempted to sexually assault the young women. In a desperate act of bravery, one of the victims managed to strike one of her attackers and swiftly fled the scene, contacting emergency services for assistance.
Unfortunately, the second young woman was unable to escape; she was violently beaten, sexually assaulted, and subsequently abandoned near a bar on the outskirts, where she received initial medical attention.
Familiar Faces for the Police
The arrests took place days after the incident. The investigations by the National Police focused on locating the vehicle used in the crime and identifying the suspects.
Close sources to the investigation have revealed a significant detail regarding the profile of the detainees: both are “well-known” to the police and have multiple previous convictions, although it has not been confirmed whether these are of a similar nature to the current crime. On the part of the victims, El Digital Sur has confirmed that both young women are currently receiving psychological support.
With the arrests and the detention of the two individuals, the National Police reaffirm their firm commitment to combating sexual crimes. Officers stress that such serious incidents will not go unpunished and emphasise the importance of reporting any behaviour of this nature.
