The French judicial authorities have arrested a 44-year-old man on suspicion of raping an 18-year-old Belgian man in the southern French port city of Marseilles. The Marseilles public prosecutor's office has confirmed the arrest. According to French media the attack dates from last Wednesday. The man allegedly raped a student, who was on a school trip, in the entrance hall of a building in central Marseilles. The man is also suspected of extortion.
Rape of 18-year-old Belgian male student in Marseilles: 44-year-old suspect arrested
Colin Clapson
Published:
According to French media, the attack occurred in Marseilles’s party district. The victim, an 18-year-old Belgian student on a school trip, was out with 13 fellow pupils that evening. The teachers had given them a night off.
French media outlet BFM Marseilles quotes from the young man's statement. When he briefly left the group to find something to eat, he was allegedly approached by an intoxicated man. The man allegedly dragged him to the entrance hall of a nearby building and raped him there. The young Belgian managed to flee when another person suddenly entered the hall.
44-year-old suspect arrested
The 18-year-old student told one of his teachers what had happened. The group went back to the scene and was able to identify the suspect. The suspect then allegedly tried to approach one of the pupils again. The police were called in and were able to arrest the man.
The prosecutor's office arrested the man on suspicion of aggravated rape and extortion. The suspect is in pre-trial detention.