British woman, 73, raped, beaten and robbed in horror attack in Tenerife apartment

An elderly British woman died seven months after she was raped, beaten and robbed in her holiday apartment in the Canary Islands.

The woman, 73, was attacked by a 32-year-old man who scaled a six-foot wall in order to break into her flat in Tenerife.

The man threatened the woman before subjecting her to a horrific two-hour ordeal and stealing money, jewellery and keys.

The offence took place in May 2018 but has only now been openly reported after the perpetrator was convicted in a trial which has shocked the island.

The culprit was caught out by DNA evidence and CCTV recordings in which the victim recognised him. He has now been jailed for nine years.

Tragically, the woman in the case died in January 2019 - some seven months after the attack - but not before giving evidence to investigators.

Medical reports showed she suffered extensive wounds and clinicians confirmed the DNA evidence as credible, despite defence claims that the DNA was only a "peripheral element".

One expert stated: “It is a trillion times more likely that the DNA belongs to the accused than to any other person.”

The court heard the woman enjoyed spending long periods in Tenerife to escape the British weather and had an apartment in the southern resort of Arona.

The woman, who suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), told police the man attacked her relentlessly and only stopped when she gave him the code to a safe containing valuables.