Lebanese police hold Uber driver suspected of killing British embassy worker
▶ Officials in Beirut say they have no reason to believe the attack was politically motivated
A Lebanese man suspected of sexually assaulting and killing a British woman employed at the UK embassy in Beirut was arrested yesterday.
Rebecca Dykes, 30, was found dead on Saturday, her body dumped on the side of an motorway north of Lebanon’s capital.
A police spokesman said that the man was due to appear in court yesterday.
“The suspected killer is a Lebanese taxi driver, identified as Tarek H,” Lebanon’s National News Agency said.
“Tarek gave Dykes a lift from Gemmayzeh, where she was on a night out, and he transported her from Achrafieh to the Metn highway where he tried to assault her.
“He then threw her body away after strangling her with a rope.”
The police spokesman said that Dykes’s body bore signs of strangulation and sexual assault, and officials had no indication that the attack was politically motivated.
Dykes was last seen early on Saturday morning leaving a bar in Gemmayzeh, a neighbourhood in east Beirut popular for its nightlife.
The suspect is a driver for Uber and has a criminal record, a Lebanese security source said yesterday.
An Uber spokesman said: “We are horrified. Our hearts are with the victim and her family. We are working with authorities to assist their investigation in any way they can.”
British ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter said: “The whole embassy is deeply shocked and saddened by this news. Our thoughts are with Becky’s family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss.
“We are providing consular support to Becky’s family and working very closely with the Lebanese local authorities who are conducting the police investigation.”
Dykes was a programme and policy manager with the Department for International Development, a position she held since January.
She had worked in London on diplomatic projects related to Iraq and Libya.