It's the same old familiar story being played out in Europe-this time in Italy. In the municipality of Luserna San Giovanni, in the Turin metropolitan area, in June 2024, a woman out jogging was (allegedly) attacked from behind by a Tunisian man. He proceeded to rape her in a public park, breaking one of her legs in the process. Later apprehended due to a telltale bite mark on his arm from the victim, the suspect (not identified) confessed.
Unfortunately, he was not held in custody pending trial. Two years after the rape, the trial has opened, and the suspect is nowhere to be found.
The below article from Torino Today is translated by Fousesquawk.
He raped her in a park and broke her leg: She was forced to walk on crutches for a year
The man, charged in Turin for sexual assault and recognized by a bite on his arm, has disappeared.
He attacked her from behind while she was jogging and raped her in a public park in Luserna San Giovanni. Injured in the leg, she, an athlete in her 40s, was operated on two times. He, a 30-year-old of Tunisian origin, was recognized by the bite marks on his arm.
Now, he is charged with sexual assault, but he has disappeared. Yesterday, September 17, he failed to appear in Turin criminal court for a hearing in which he is facing a conviction. He is defended by the office of Attorney Yuri Marchis.
In flight after the attack
The incident occurred in June 2024. It was late afternoon. The victim, while running, felt a hand on her chest turning her around from behind. There was nobody nearby. She struggled to realize what was happening. Everything degenerated in a few seconds.
The woman still remembers the red t-shirt the man who allegedly attacked her was wearing. She tried to fight back to defend herself. At a certain point, he fell on top of her, crushing her and injuring her badly.
She reacted by biting his arm, (and) the 30-year-old loosened his grip and reportedly escaped.
"I was one of the first to respond- a Carabiniere recalled in court. "I remember that the lady could not get up due to the fractures in her legs. I raised her up while we were awaiting the arrival of the ambulance."
Recognized by scar
The 40-year-old was treated for several days. She told law enforcement about the red t-shirt and the bite. A few days later, not far from the park where the attack allegedly happened, the Carabinieri saw a man who had a strange scar on his arm. He was walking with a companion. They stopped him and asked for his identification. He reacted in a suspicious manner and seemed nervous.
They (police) later showed up at his home for further investigation. He opened the door, broke out crying, and showed them his arm, where the bite marks were still visible, in which the woman tried to make him stop the attack. Then, on his own volition, he turned over the clothes he was wearing when he allegedly attacked the woman.
Taken to the station, the man admitted his responsibility. He was not placed in pre-trial detention, considering that he had not been caught in the act and did not seem to be a concrete flight risk. He appointed a lawyer of his own choosing, who withdrew shortly after being informed of the closure of the investigation.
Infinite suffering
In court yesterday, the husband of the victim told how the daily life of his wife and their children has changed since 2024. "For almost a year, she could walk only with crutches. She has suffered so much."
The woman's sister added: "I was informed by telephone what had happened. My sister is a rock, but for her, nothing is like before. It is the same for us. These are things that leave a mark on you. There is no going back."
It is not excluded that the accused has left Piedmont, perhaps returning to Tunisia. For sure, being informed of the trial, he has skipped the hearings. If he wants, he could appear at the next (hearing), scheduled in October. Even if he does not, the substitute prosecutor, Eleonora Sciorella, taking the place of the case prosecutor, could ask for his conviction. Then it will be up to the judges to evaluate and decide.