Guardia Civil free Costa Almeria gender violence victim held prisoner by abusive ex

GUARDIA Civil have freed a gender violence victim from Dalias who was being held prisoner by her ex-partner.
The Guardia launched an immediate investigation on the night of June 17 after receiving reports the woman had suffered injuries and abuse at the hands of her ex, identified as 38-year old A.E.M., when after a year of trying to find her he tracked her down at her Dalias home.
He managed to get into the house and prevent her from getting out while waiting for a ‘pirate taxi’ driven by a mate to take them both to his home in Lorca, over the border in Murcia.
At one point the woman tried to escape through the back door, but he forced her back indoors while threatening to kill her. Once he got her inside he hit her all over her body, grabbed a knife and slashed her in the face.
When the taxi arrived he covered up her injury with masks and scarves, and when they got to Lorca he gave a different address to avoid being found.
For nine days the woman was trapped inside the 38-year old’s house with him watching her the whole time, until he took his eyes off her long enough for her to text a message about her desperate situation and photos of the abuse she had suffered to a friend.
Rapid and intense investigations led the Guardia to identify the property where the woman was being held and to move in the next day.

Taking into account the potentially violent reaction of the 38-year old and the risks to the woman when he realised the Guardia had caught up with him, and not knowing whether he would be armed or not, officers used a distraction manoeuvre to get to the victim without her being harmed in an alleyway at the side of the house and move her to safety.
Meanwhile officers detained the ex, and at the same time, arrested his mate, 34-year old A.E.M., in Dalias.
The Guardia have charged both men with illegal detention. The ex has also been hit with charges gender-based violence charges for causing injuries and for habitual abuse.