POLICE in Portugal are investigating the alleged rape of a British woman by an Irish tourist in the Algarve.

Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã reports that local police were called to a hotel in Portimão at around 3.40am on Friday morning.

Upon arrival they encountered a 30-year-old British holidaymaker in a distressed state claiming she had been forced to have sex.

The woman had earlier been drinking in the Praia da Rocha beach area when she met an Irish man, also aged 30, and "drank a few glasses" with him.

At around 3am, she went with the man back to his hotel room in nearby Três Castelos.


When the uncle of the accused - with whom he was sharing the room - returned from his own night out around 40 minutes later, the woman rushed out of the room with tears in her eyes.

She proceeded to bang on other hotel doors and shout that she had been raped.

The Public Security Police (PSP) were called to the scene and handed the case over to the Criminal Investigation Department of Portimão (PJ), who have launched a probe.

According to the authorities, the British woman said she could not remember how she arrived at the hotel as she had been drinking heavily.

She claimed the Irishman then forced her to have sex shortly after going back to his room.

Local media claim the man admitted to having sex with the woman, but assured detectives it was consensual.

Police say their enquiries are ongoing.