Brit, 16, arrested over 'attempted rape' of fellow UK tourist, 22, in Tenerife

A 16-year-old British tourist has been arrested after he allegedly tried to rape another UK holidaymaker in her hotel at a major holiday hotspot.

The teenager supposedly attempted to enter the 22-year-old’s room - who was staying at a resort next to the man in Tenerife - and tried to force himself on her by the room's door. The 16-year-old, who had flown to the island with his family, was held at the swimming pool of his hotel in the Playa de Las Americas resort.

Detectives in Spain said the shock incident happened in "busy daylight hours" on July 31, in the Spanish tourist hotspot.

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Police said the teen fled the 22-year-old's hotel room after she resisted him and screamed over the alleged attack. They added that CCTV footage was used to track the alleged attacker down at the next-door resort.

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.

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.

"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.