Police in Tenerife have apprehended a man accused of sexually assaulting a British female tourist and violently robbing an elderly UK couple on the same day. The suspect allegedly used a martial arts technique called “lion-killer chokehold” to attack the woman, leaving her partially unconscious. The assault occurred in a secluded area after the suspect offered to assist the victim, who had lost her mobile phone.

On the identical day as the sexual assault, the man reportedly targeted an 89-year-old British man and his 79-year-old wife. The elderly couple was hospitalized after the suspect assaulted them with physical blows when the woman threw her husband’s watch into the bushes during a struggle.

Additionally, the suspect is linked to another incident involving a Swedish tourist who was violently attacked and had her necklace ripped off on March 20. The Spain National Police spokesperson confirmed the arrest of the suspect for the sexual assault and two violent robberies in Tenerife’s southern region.

The initial incident occurred in Las Veronicas at the end of March, where the victim reported the crime and provided crucial images of the suspect taken the same night, aiding the investigation. Separate probes were ongoing for two violent robbery cases in Arona municipality, one of which coincided with the sexual assault day.

The suspect’s physical description and the extreme violence used in both cases matched, as per the police spokesperson. In one of the robberies involving an elderly couple, the assailant attempted to steal the man’s watch, leading to a scuffle and the eventual theft of their shopping bag after the woman threw the watch away to prevent it from being taken.

The suspect was arrested on March 27 and the arrest was made public by the police on Tuesday. Reports indicated that the suspect was released on bail after appearing before a duty judge instead of being remanded in custody awaiting trial.