Police in Portugal have detained a 30-year-old man in connection with the rape of a 24-year-old Danish woman earlier this week, reports Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã.
The woman was found Monday evening near a gas station in the town of Alto da Serra, trying to attract the attention of passers-by. The victim said she had been attacked by a lorry driver who had picked her up as she sought to hitchhike to Lisbon. She was able to give the police information, including the lorry's licence plate and the spanner used by the attacker, which led the police to later detain a 30-year-old husband in connection with the attack.
The woman and a group of friends had arrived in Oporto a few days prior to the incident. She decided to wander off on her own and ended up hitching a ride with the man, identified as Marco Rebelo, planning to go to Lisbon. Rebelo reportedly pretended to be headed in to the capital, but instead stopped the vehicle in a deserted area and raped her, threatening her with a spanner.
A medical examination has corroborated the woman’s allegation that she was raped.
According to the police, the victim suffered blows to the head, forehead and neck as she tried to fight Rebelo off. She managed to scratch her attacker, who dumped her near the gas station where she was found.
Rebelo is being held on remand until his trial begins.
