Man Sentenced to Nine Years for 2018 Assault of British Woman in Tenerife

A court in Santa Cruz de Tenerife has sentenced a man to nine years in prison for the sexual assault, robbery, and physical abuse of a 73-year-old British woman in Arona. The attack took place in May 2018.

The victim passed away in January 2019 from unrelated causes, but the legal proceedings continued. In addition to the prison term, the court has ordered the defendant to serve seven years of supervised release. He must also return 3,500 euros and two pieces of jewelry stolen during the attack, pay 33,500 euros in compensation, and provide 800 euros for the injuries he caused.

The conviction was largely secured through DNA evidence, which provided a near-certain match between the defendant and the crime scene. This scientific proof, combined with security footage and social media activity, allowed the court to reject the defense’s request for an acquittal. The defense had argued that the biological evidence was inconclusive and that the long delay in the case should serve as a mitigating factor.

According to the victim’s testimony—which was recorded by police and later confirmed by her daughter in court—the attacker climbed over a wall to enter her home. During the two-hour ordeal, the victim, who suffered from a chronic lung condition, was forced to reveal the location and code of her safe.

The case underscores the vital role of forensic evidence in prosecuting crimes when a victim is unable to see the trial through to its conclusion. The ruling also linked the defendant to a separate robbery in the same area, bringing a formal end to a case that the victim’s family says had a devastating impact on her final months.