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Spanish police have arrested a man accused of sexually assaulting a young German woman and holding her hostage while she was trying to walk the Camino de Santiago hiking and pilgrimage route in Spain.

 

The victim, just 24 years old, had finished the stage of the famous walking route as it passes through the La Rioja town of Nájera and she was trying to find a place to spend the night.

 

Nájera is a common stop for pilgrims between the stages through La Rioja and many take the opportunity to rest there. Not finding a place in the ‘albergue’ shelters in the town, she asked the alleged aggressor for help. He, a resident of the town, offered to help her and invited her to accompany him to his house so that she could rest there.

 

She accepted his invitation and the two headed to his home where she could regain her strength before continuing her route, as they had agreed. However, once there, the alleged attacker held the victim hostage against her will and tried to sexually assault her by touching her and attempting to kiss her. The victim was finally able to scream and end up fleeing the scene.

 

After managing to escape, the victim went to the Guardia Civil to report the attack, and the alleged aggressor was arrested just a few hours later.

 

The judge has ordered the alleged perpetrator to be released with charges, and will later appear in court.

 

Image: Guardia Civil