Serial rapist ‘beast of Kavos’ reportedly falls off cliff while running from police
Dimitris Aspiotis faces return to prison after controversial early release
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Your support makes all the difference.Police in Corfu have reportedly arrested a serial rapist dubbed the ‘beast of Kavos’ after he fell off a cliff while on the run.
Dimitris Aspiotis, 47, was arrested on Saturday after he plunged about 100 feet into a ravine in the Greek island of Corfu, according to The Sun.
The fall left him with multiple fractures in his leg, hip and spine, as well as a ruptured kidney. A rescue operation to get him out of the ravine on a stretcher took three hours.
Hellenic Police had been searching for the notorious criminal since early May, when he was linked to the rape of a 34-year-old Albanian woman.
Aspiotis was given a 52-year sentence in 2012 after he was convicted of raping about 100 women, including at least seven British women, in Corfu. But a controversial law introduced to ease overcrowding in Greek jails led to his early release last August.
A manhunt for Aspiotis was launched after he allegedly repeatedly raped his latest victim at knifepoint after dragging her into a forest.
In a statement, police director of Corfu Police, Giannouli Mattheou, did not name Aspiotis but confirmed a man who was wanted for rape and kidnapping had fallen off a cliff and was now in police custody.
“His arrest was preceded by several days of police investigations, involving more than 100 police officers in the greater Lefkimmi area and all necessary technical means were used. OPKE, police dogs, as well as men of the Lefkimmi Police Department, to locate him and arrest him.
“It is pointed out that the perpetrator at the sight of police officers, who were stationed in the forested area of Paleochori, Lefkimmi, fled and jumped from a steep point, as a result of which he was injured in the extremities and in his spine.
“With the assistance of the Corfu Fire Brigade and EKAB, the detainee was released and taken to the Corfu Hospital where he is being treated.”
Mr Mattheou congratulated the force for the “zeal and honesty” in detaining the man as they searched for him “in very difficult conditions for many days in the forest”.
British stewardess Kayleigh Morgan, who was a victim and waived her anonymity to campaign against Aspiotis’ release, told The Sun: “I hope he stays in pain for the rest of his life – it’s time for the Greek authorities to throw away the key.
“I warned he would strike again and was proved right. I’m just glad he was caught before yet another woman’s life was ruined,” she added.
Aspiotis now faces returning to prison to serve the rest of his sentence.
The Independent has contacted the Hellenic Police for comment.
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