A 67-year-old man accused of sexually abusing his partner’s 10-year-old granddaughter has been arrested in rural Spain after spending a year in hiding.
The suspect was detained by Guardia Civil in an isolated area of La Rioja, where he had gone to ground to evade a European arrest warrant issued by German authorities.
The case centres on alleged events in June 2024 in Germany, where the man is suspected of committing multiple sexual assaults and causing injuries to the young girl, the granddaughter of his then partner.
German prosecutors in Traunstein issued a warrant for his arrest over six alleged offences of sexual assault and bodily harm.
Spanish investigators were alerted weeks ago that the fugitive could be in La Rioja.
Officers tracked him down to a remote rural property in the eastern part of the region, where he had deliberately chosen an isolated location to avoid detection.
Given the terrain and risk he could flee, a coordinated operation was launched involving specialist units.
Drones from the PEGASO unit were used to monitor the area, while officers on the ground carried out a tactical entry into the property.
The man was arrested without incident.
During the search, officers seized two mobile phones and 33 DVDs, which are now being analysed by German authorities to determine whether they contain further evidence, including potential child abuse material.
The suspect has been brought before Spain’s Audiencia Nacional, which will oversee his extradition to Germany.
He is expected to be handed over in the coming weeks to face the allegations.
