Three Britons Held Over Alleged Gang Rape in Croatian Hotel

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Three British men have been remanded in custody by a Croatian court following accusations of a sexual assault on a local woman at a hotel in Split. The alleged incident occurred early Tuesday morning, leading to a swift police response and the arrest of all three suspects, who now face serious criminal charges.

The accused have reportedly been identified as Ami Arifi, 29, Gezhim Xhafa, 28, and Sohqib Shakibi, 24. All are British citizens from London, with two reported to be originally from Kosovo. The three appeared before an investigative judge in the city of Split on Thursday and were ordered to remain in custody while Croatian police continue their investigation. If convicted, they could each face prison sentences of up to ten years under Croatian law.

The alleged victim, a 28-year-old Croatian woman, told police she met the men on Matejuška, a well-known waterfront promenade in Split frequented by both locals and tourists. She reportedly accepted a ride from one of the men on a motorbike and later agreed to accompany them to their four-star hotel at around 5:30 am.

Hotel Room Ordeal

Inside the hotel room, events allegedly took a violent turn. According to the woman’s statement, the first defendant began insulting her, biting her lips, and groping her. Despite her protests and complaints of pain, he allegedly continued. She also claimed that he confiscated her mobile phone and asked her to have sex with the second man.

Feeling trapped and fearing for her safety, the woman said she complied and went to another room with the second man. The ordeal reportedly didn’t end there. The first man is then said to have insisted she perform oral sex on the third suspect. “I resisted all the time,” the woman told the court, adding that the third man bit her and touched her body inappropriately.

Eventually, she managed to escape the hotel room and contacted her ex-boyfriend, who then informed the authorities. Police arrived at the hotel, arresting one of the suspects on site and detaining the remaining two shortly after.

Local media reports claim the incident lasted for approximately two hours. One of the suspects is said to have offered €30,000 in bail, but the court rejected the offer.

All three men strongly deny the allegations, maintaining that any sexual activity was consensual. They remain in custody as the investigation proceeds.

The case has attracted national attention in Croatia and is being followed closely in the United Kingdom. Croatian officials have not yet released a formal statement on the ongoing inquiry, and the British Embassy in Zagreb has not commented publicly.

Court proceedings are ongoing, and further developments are expected in the coming weeks as investigators review forensic evidence and gather additional witness statements.