A 15-year-old Irish holidaymaker has been arrested on suspicion of raping an 18-year-old tourist also from Ireland in a Spanish holiday resort.
The youth was held hours after the alleged sex attack in the Costa Dorada resort of Salou just south of the city of Tarragona.
He has already been remanded to a youth detention centre after appearing before a judge pending an ongoing criminal probe.
Detectives are said to have tracked him down to the unnamed Salou hotel where he was staying after his alleged victim gave officers a description of the suspect and told them he had been wearing an all-inclusive resort wristband.
She has now flown back to Ireland after giving police a statement and ratifying her complaint in front of the same youth court judge the 15-year-old appeared before after his arrest.
The regional Mossos d’Esquadra police force confirmed the September 2 arrest today after news of the detention filtered out.
A spokesman for the force said: “I can confirm a minor has been arrested on suspicion of a sexual assault in Salou the night of September 1 to 2.
“The arrest was made on September 2. I am not in a position to offer any more information given the fact the suspect is a minor.”
A source close to the inquiry confirmed the youth was Irish. The alleged victim has been described as Irish in local reports.
The pair are understood to have met in a pub in Salou during a night out.
The alleged sex attack, which happened around 3am on September 2, happened outside the unnamed nightspot.
The youth detention centre where the Irish boy is being held has been identified as Can Llupia, in Barcelona, described locally as an educational centre for minors.
Police are said to have been forced to work “round-the-clock” to make the arrest knowing the suspect was on holiday.
He was due to return to Ireland with his family three days after the alleged sex assault.
The possibility he could eventually be tried in Ireland if he ends up being charged has not been ruled out.
It is not clear whether his family has remained in Spain.
His alleged victim is believed to have returned to Ireland on September 4.
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: “The Department of Foreign Affairs is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance.”