Tenerife holiday horror as British boy, 16, arrested for 'trying to rape tourist in hotel'

Police have arrested a 16-year-old holidaymaker accused of trying to rape another tourist (Image: GETTY)

Police have arrested a 16-year-old British tourist in Tenerife accused of trying to rape a woman in broad daylight while on holiday with his family. The teenager was arrested at a Playa de Las Americas hotel swimming pool, near where he allegedly attempted to enter the 22-year-old’s room and force himself on her. Police said the incident happened "busy daylight hours" on July 31. Detectives said the teen fled after the woman resisted and screamed.

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 local police source said both people involved are British. The National Police in Tenerife said the woman was approached by a teenager at a hotel room door, and he snuck in behind her. She was able to resist and prevent him from closing the door behind them, fleeing the scene and screaming to raise the alarm.

The alleged incident occurred in the Arona region of Tenerife. (Image: Getty)

The alleged incident happened in a busy area of the hotel, the force said. They were able to put together the events of the day and track the suspect via CCTV, allowing officers to quickly arrest him at a nearby hotel pool. 

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 a hotel pool nearby. 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."