By Gerard Couzens And Brendan Mcfaddden For Mailonline
Published: 13:52 BST, 14 April 2019 | Updated: 13:52 BST, 14 April 2019
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A British teenager was raped on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean as she enjoyed a holiday with her parents, it is claimed.
Regional newspaper Levante EMV said the 17-year-old victim, who was travelling with her parents, told police her sex attacker forced her into his cabin before raping her.
An Italian arrested over the alleged rape on the MSC Divina ship has been freed on a legal technicality.
A British teenager was raped on the MSC Divina cruise ship (pictured) in the Mediterranean as she enjoyed a holiday with her parents, it is claimed.
The arrest happened on Thursday when the ship docked in the Spanish city of Valencia after the captain informed port authorities about an incident on board and they alerted police.
The suspect, an 18-year-old who is understood to live in Italy, was held as he returned to the Panamanian-flagged vessel following a day tour of Valencia.
But he was freed by a duty court in the city - named by Levante EMV as Court of Investigation Number 15 - after the judge concluded he did not have jurisdiction to probe the alleged crime.
The newspaper said the unidentified judge will now urge three countries - Panama, the UK where the complainant lives and Italy - to take action.
News of the arrest and the detainee’s subsequent release - first reported by Levante EMV - has also been carried by other Spanish newspapers.
The release has been linked to reforms of Spain’s use of the doctrine of universal jurisdiction, with reports in Spain claiming the judge had to let the Italian go because the alleged crime was committed by a foreigner on another foreigner in Panamanian territory and international waters.
Levante EMV reported the judge could have claimed jurisdiction over the case only if the Italian man arrested had lived in Spain,