Spanish cops hunt brutal rapist of British au pair who was dragged from picturesque holiday beach and assaulted in car park
The victim, thought to be in her early 20s, told police she was sexually attacked in a car park near a beach close to Bilbao
POLICE are hunting a rapist who attacked a British au pair at a popular beach in northern Spain.
The victim, thought to be in her early 20s, told police she was sexually attacked by a man who took her to a car park at beautiful Arriatera Beach a short drive from Bilbao.
A passer-by stopped to help her and called police after discovering her walking around disorientated.
She told officers she had been raped after being taken to hospital.
The attack happened around 8am yesterday.
The victim, who was described as a British au pair by a local paper, is thought to been targeted after going out partying.
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Bilbao, which is currently celebrating its annual nine-day festival called the Big Week or Semana Grande, is swamped by revellers from the area around it at this time of year.
A spokesman for the regional Ertzaintza police force confirmed: “We are investigating reports of a sexual assault in a car park at Arriatera Beach.
“We were alerted by a call to the emergency services around 8am yesterday.
“The caller had seen the woman wandering around the car park and felt something wasn’t right and decided to call police.
“No arrests have been made so far.”
He was not able to confirm local reports saying the victim had been raped or that she was a British au pair, saying that he could only give out minimal information to protect her identify and make sure nothing was published that could hamper the investigation.
Police are understood to have taken statements from surfers who use the beach early in the morning as well as a Belgian family who were sleeping in a camper van nearby and told detectives they had heard nothing.
Two men who raised the alarm at a local bar after seeing the British woman, reported to have had a bottle in her hand, are also thought to have been questioned as witnesses.
Arriatera Beach, a 20 minute walk from Larrabasterra tube station on Line 1 of the Bilbao Metro network, is regarded as one of the most stunning beaches in the area.
The 800-metre beach is regarded as ideal for surfing.
The neighbouring beach - called Wild Beach in English - is a nudist beach and is separated from Arrietera by a rocky cove called La Triangu.
The annual Bilbao festival began the day before the sex attack on the Brit.
It is not known if she was at the festival but it is normal for revellers from neighbouring municipalities to enjoy the festivities in Bilbao while it lasts.
A woman was gang raped during the famous San Fermin festival last July in Pamplona an hour and a half’s drive from Bilbao.
Five suspects are being held in custody after it emerged they had filmed the sex attack and sent WhatsApp photos to their friends.