Autistic boy, 11, ‘sexually assaulted’ before his family chased suspect in Tenerife

The attack happened at a hotel in Costa Adeje, Tenerife (Picture: Shutterstock)

An 11-year-old autistic boy was sexually assaulted at a Tenerife resort right in front of his family, it has been reported.

The victim, believed to be from Ireland, was playing with other kids at a hotel in Costa Adeje when the suspect approached him.

During the attack, the man put his hands down the child’s trousers, grabbing his genitals, it has been alleged.

After spotting what had happened, one of the boy’s family members chased the assailant from the hotel. 

It is is understood the incident was captured on the hotel’s CCTV, the Dublin Live reported.

A source cited by the newspaper said: ‘The family are shocked and appalled at what has happened.

‘What was a lovely family holiday quickly turned into a holiday from hell. They are horrified the attack took place right in front of their eyes.

‘One of the family members chased the man from the hotel. The last couple of days of their holiday was spent between the police station and the courthouse.

They want to warn other families holidaying in Tenerife to keep an eye on their children at all times because this happened in the blink of an eye.’

The suspect, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is understood to have been loitering around the hotel for a number of days before the alleged assault.

He has since been arrested by the Spanish police and is currently before the courts in Tenerife in relation to the incident. 

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *