The 20-year-old girl from Salamina described what occurred, she was the victim of an attempted rape by a 35-year-old man.

“I got off the bus around 2:30 p.m. I saw him following me. I didn’t know what to do, I was on the steps, going down to the beach. He bothered me twice. I tell him, “I don’t want any more acquaintances,” I discourage him, and he comes back a third time.

He turns around and tells me if he doesn’t rape me, he’s gonna pull a knife out. I inform my friend that I am being bothered by a guy here. From fear I went in the sea, I started swimming and he swam with me.”

“I thought he was going to choke me. Good thing Achilles came to my rescue. I couldn’t do anything else. He saved me. Thank him very much,” she added and continued: “The police took an hour and ten minutes to come. Both me and Achilles called the police.

They taunted us and above us that ‘what should I do; should I fly?’ I had experienced this shock and the police were taking so long to come.”

For his part, the 35-year-old would-be rapist reportedly denies he intended to harm the girl. “I deny all charges. I never approached the girl to rape her. I had no such intention.

I never threatened her and I never had a knife on me. I saw the girl and I just wanted to talk to her because I saw a beautiful girl. I didn’t want to hurt her and I didn’t touch her. Then a man showed up and started beating me and videotaping me without my consent and that’s when I was scared for my life. I will take legal action against him.”

The 35-year-old was charged again a year ago with attempted rape and sexual harassment of two girls in the Salamina area and has a lengthy criminal record and convictions for drug cases and burglary.