Schoolboy 'raped at Pompeii ruins by man posing as tour guide to lure him away'

A 17-year-old schoolboy was allegedly raped in the ruins of Pompeii by a man who posed as a tour guide to lure him away.

The suspect - who has been identified as a caretaker at the tourist hotspot - is said to have taken the teenager to one of the park's historical homes before carrying out the sexual assault.

The man allegedly approached the boy at the site, convincing him that he was an official guide after showing him his uniform.

The caretaker is said to have offered to take the 17-year-old to one of the ancient domuses that is typically off-limits to ordinary tourists.

Once inside, the suspect allegedly grabbed the boy before kissing and touching the victim, despite him asking him to stop.

The suspected sexual assault is believed to have escalated after the boy attempted to fight the man off.

The 17-year-old accused the site worker of forcing him to perform a number of sexual acts.

Following the alleged rape, the child filed a report to the Italian Carabinieri and provided a detailed account of the attack.

Police officers stationed near the archaeological park quickly launched an investigation.

The suspect was identified by the 17-year-old after he reviewed CCTV footage of the area with the officers.

The caretaker was then arrested and later transferred to Vallo della Luciana prison in the Campania region of southwest Italy.

He was immediately remanded into custody due to the perceived risk posed by the suspect and the gravity of the allegation, police confirmed.

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In a statement, Pompeii park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel said: “Our thoughts are with the victim of the serious incident of sexual violence that, according to the investigation, occurred at the site.

“Beyond the criminal proceedings, there will also be disciplinary consequences once all necessary internal investigations have been completed.

“This is a very serious and shocking incident, which, moreover, occurred in a place that should be a stronghold of humanity and culture.

“We will evaluate whether to join the civil action in any eventual trial.”

The city of Pompeii was destroyed in 79 AD after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, burying the Roman settlement in 19 feet of ash and debris.

The remains of the local inhabitants were perfectly preserved for over 1,600 years before they were finally discovered in the 18th century.

Last year, more than four million tourists from around the world flocked to the archaeological site.

In November 2024, Italian authorities implemented a visitor cap of 20,000 per day in a bid to protect the park from overtourism.

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