By Lucy Caulkett-
Three men have been convicted following the double rape of a British tourist.
The trial at a court in Alicante’s Audiencia Provincial Court concluded that the victim endured unimaginable horror as she was subjected to two separate gang rapes within a span of just four hours.
The brutal incident unfolded when the woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, was enjoying her vacation in the popular Spanish coastal town.
The court concluded that the men took advantage of the woman being under the influence of alcohol to carry out their sex crimes. At the time of the incident, the woman was described as being in a state of “semi-consciousness.”
The woman escaped after being taken to the second location where was raped once back in her hotel room she alerted her mum.
The convicted men, a Spaniard and two Moroccans aged between 24 and 34, have not been named ahead of a possible appeal. Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of just over 12 years for each of the men when they went on trail in November 2023.
The court official said ahead of their trial: “State prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of twelve years and three months for three men accused of sexually abusing a woman several times.
According to prosecutors, they started a conversation with the young woman in a pub in Benidorm and, taking advantage of the drunken state she was in, took her to a nearby park where they raped her before driving her to waste ground where they repeated their crimes.”
Before fleeing he seen, the men allegedly stole a watch and ring valued at £365. The three men have insisted that they did have sex with the British tourist but that it was consensual.
The victim gave evidence from the UK via video link and said she she didn’t have a clear recollection of what happened but remembered come to whilst in the back seat of a car.
She said her clothes were unbuttoned and her legs outside of the vehicle after being taken from the unnamed pub she had left to have a cigarette outside.
She told the court she recalled feeling pain in her sexual organs and seeing “three or four men” near her. At the time, reports blamed the state of the woman on her drink being spiked. The men were not only convicted of the sex attacks, the rapists were also found guilty of a crime of theft.
The judges, described the victim’s account of what had happened as “credible” despite the fact her memory had been affected by alcohol.
The court also heard other evidence which included a 999 call from a witness who saw a woman walking half-naked along a road near to where the second series of rapes took place, was also taken into account.
Last October police arrested two men over the rape of a British tourist near Benidorm in a separate ongoing case. Detectives revealed the holidaymaker was sexually attacked after agreeing to pay two men who offered to take her back to her hotel in their car for £13 as she waited for a taxi in the famous Costa Blanca resort.
She was allegedly raped at the home of one of the suspects after falling asleep in the back of the vehicle. The men, both Algerian nationals aged 39 and 44, were remanded in custody pending an ongoing investigation.
One was also being hunted over a violent robbery two days before the sex attack in Villajoyosa next to Benidorm.
This reprehensible incident sheds light on broader issues concerning safety and security for tourists, particularly women, in popular holiday destinations.
Benidorm, known for its bustling nightlife and picturesque beaches, attracts millions of visitors each year.
In recent years, efforts have been made to enhance safety measures and raise awareness about the importance of responsible tourism.
Authorities in Benidorm have collaborated with local businesses and law enforcement agencies to bolster security infrastructure and ensure the well-being of visitors.
In the aftermath of this appalling incident, it is incumbent upon authorities, both locally and internationally, to redouble their efforts in ensuring the safety and well-being of all travellers.