A 67-year-old homeless woman, described by locals as “a sweet and gentle person”, is in hospital after she was “badly beaten and raped” at the entrance to a bank branch in Albufeira in the early hours of Thursday (December 1).
The horrific ordeal happened at around 4.50am in the covered ATM area of Millennium BCP bank, where the woman was apparently staying the night.
TVI says she was found “naked and covered in blood” by a worker from a nearby bar who had seen her minutes earlier “speaking with a foreign man”.
The suspect, who had fled the scene and was described as “partially naked and covered in blood stains”, was caught by the bar worker who managed to restrain the man until the GNR police arrived.
The news has shocked locals who say the woman had a “very gentle nature” and was often seen singing in the streets of the town centre.
“We knew her and feel very sad,” a local bar owner told TVI. “She is such a nice lady. She comes to our establishment every day. We are shocked.” Restaurant staff would often provide her with food and drink.
The woman remains in “serious condition” at Faro Hospital.
PJ police are investigating, while Correio da Manhã tabloid says the footage caught by the bank’s CCTV cameras will be crucial to the investigation.
