This is the moment one of the UK’s most wanted fugitives was arrested in Spain after spending months hiding among the expat community in Benidorm.
John Rocks, 37, is wanted in Britain over a series of alleged sexual assaults committed between 2012 and 2022.
Footage shared by the Policia Nacional shows him being dragged out of a restaurant in handcuffs before being placed into the back a patrol car.
The force said he was first tracked to Benidorm, where authorities carried out an extensive surveillance operation, including monitoring his favourite bars and restaurants.
Police said Rocks deliberately moved between different addresses, concealed his true identity and lived a nomadic lifestyle in an bid to avoid capture.
The investigation began in 2024 after British authorities linked him to multiple alleged sexual offences involving several victims, including one woman with whom he was reportedly in a relationship at the time of the attacks.
Police then identified contacts who may have helped him during his time in Spain and gradually pieced together his movements.
In February 2026, UK authorities issued an international arrest warrant seeking his extradition.
Rocks was also added to the National Crime Agency and CrimeStoppers’ Most Wanted campaign, which highlights British fugitives believed to be hiding overseas.
The Interior Ministry joined the campaign in May, helping circulate his photograph and details among Spanish law enforcement.
Investigators later received information suggesting he had travelled from Benidorm to Madrid.
On Saturday, August 1, officers launched a surveillance operation in the Spanish capital and spotted a man matching his description walking through a central street.
Police said the suspect attempted to disguise himself by wearing a cap and sunglasses.
When stopped, he allegedly refused to cooperate, carried no identification and gave officers several false identities.
However, investigators recognised him from his distinctive tattoos before confirming his identity through fingerprint analysis.
He was arrested on the international warrant and has since appeared before Spain’s Central Court in Madrid.
The suspect remains in custody while Spanish courts consider the UK’s request for his extradition, where he is expected to face allegations of sexual offences spanning a decade.
