British fugitive wanted for historical family sex abuse is arrested in expat area of Spain’s Murcia region

A British man wanted for historical sex offences against his daughter and other family members has been arrested by Murcia’s Guardia Civil.

The 72-year-old fugitive had been on the run for several years and was detained on the Sierra Golf urbanisation in Avileses.

The alleged crimes were committed between 1983 and 1995, with reports suggesting that he faces life imprisonment if convicted.

It was the first detention of a UK national in Spain under an International Arrest Warrant, which due to Brexit, has replaced the old European warrant system for British fugitive arrests in the EU.

The Guardia Civil launched Operation Indico to track down the man after getting a request from Interpol UK.

They received credible information that the man was living somewhere on a Mar Menor urbanisation where he blended in with a large number of British expat residents.

After his Avileses arrest, he was transferred to the custody of the National Court in Madrid ahead of extradition to the UK.