Moroccan Minor Detained for Rape of Three Children in Ceuta Reception Centre
A 17-year-old boy who arrived in Ceuta during the migrant surge sexually assaulted three children aged 10 and 11 in the Piniers Centre. The Public Prosecutor's Office has now recorded 23 sexual assaults since the crisis began.
Arrest in Ceuta: Moroccan Minor Accused of Raping Three Children Aged 10 and 11 in Reception Centre
Google News ES — Crime (es) reports that an unaccompanied minor (mena) aged 17, of Moroccan nationality, has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting three children aged between 10 and 11 in the Piniers Centre in Ceuta, located in the Príncipe neighbourhood. The incidents took place in mid-August, according to confirmation from OKDiario.
The alleged perpetrator had entered the autonomous city during the mass influx of migrants and was residing in the same reception centre for immigrant minors as the victims. The three victims, also of Moroccan origin, had entered Ceuta irregularly during the same period.
The Worker Who Discovered the Incidents Alerted the National Police
It was a centre employee who surprised the young man during the incidents. After verifying what had occurred with the affected minors, the worker immediately alerted the National Police. The Family and Women's Care Unit (UFAM) has opened an investigation and is interviewing all minors residing in the centre to determine whether there are additional victims.
The alleged perpetrator has been transferred to a detention and reform centre for minors whilst the standard judicial proceedings are conducted. Among the planned measures is verification of his actual age, as the authorities do not rule out that he may be an adult and fraudulently registered as a minor.
The Piniers Centre, Reopened After Being Closed Due to Previous Issues
The Piniers Centre had remained closed in the past due to irregularities detected in its operations. It was temporarily reopened to respond to the increase in immigrant minors who arrived during the migration crisis that affected Ceuta.
The Public Prosecutor's Office Records 23 Sexual Assaults Since the Crisis Began
The State Public Prosecutor's Office has registered a total of 23 sexual assaults in Ceuta since the mass arrival of migrants began. Of those 23 reports, five correspond to rape involving sexual penetration, the most serious category contemplated by current legislation.
The three minors from the Piniers Centre add to a total of nine minors who are victims of sexual assaults reported in recent days in Ceuta, as well as a young person from the LGBTQ+ community. To date, eight alleged sexual perpetrators have been identified: four of Moroccan nationality, three Spanish, and one with a Belgian passport.
Source: Google News ES — Crime (es)