A 33-year-old breakdown truck driver has been convicted of the rape of a 24-year-old British hitchhiker, but will not be going to jail.
Receiving a four-and-a-half year suspended sentence, prosecutors considered that although the man had acted to “satisfy his sexual instincts and wanton passions” he had confessed rape when confronted by the authorities, “shown remorse and did not have criminal antecedents”.
There has been no reference in stories in the media today on the reaction of the man’s victim who is understood to have tried unsuccessfully to resist both anal and vaginal penetration before managing to get away and seek help.
The young woman’s ordeal took place in April last year, after she was picked up by the truck driver somewhere between Aljezur and Lagos.
Around 15 kms into her intended lift to Faro, the driver pulled off the road on the pretext of picking up a vehicle. He stopped at an isolated spot near the old EN120, say reports.
According to prosecutors, he exhibited his erect penis and said “come on, baby…”
Writes tabloid Correio da Manhã, “using force” the man “removed the young woman’s trousers and knickers and made her have anal and vaginal sex on the vehicle loading deck”.
Lagos magistrates nevertheless decided to let the man to go free on probation as long as he pays 2,000 euros in damages.
Says Jornal de Notícias – citing the British woman’s lawyer – the money will be going to victim support association APAV.
