One of the UK’s most wanted sex offenders has been arrested in Spain

The arrest took place on 1 August on a street in the centre of Madrid following an investigation that began two years earlier and which initially pinpointed the fugitive’s whereabouts in Benidorm. Rocks led a nomadic life, concealed his true identity and had taken various measures to avoid being recognised.

When he was found, he was wearing a cap and sunglasses that partially concealed his face. He was not carrying any identification, refused to cooperate with the officers and provided different personal details during the identification process.

The police were initially able to identify him by checking his visible tattoos. The final confirmation came later, when his fingerprints confirmed that he was the man sought by the British authorities.

Rocks was the subject of an international arrest warrant for the purposes of extradition, issued in February 2026. Following his arrest, he was brought before the court in Madrid, which is due to rule on his extradition to the United Kingdom.

The British investigation alleges that he committed sexual offences over a period of more than ten years, from August 2012 to October 2022. The National Police described the incidents as serious acts of sexual assault suffered by various victims.

Some of the women were in a romantic relationship with Rocks at the time of the incidents under investigation, which means that some of the alleged assaults took place within the context of a relationship.

The British authorities have not publicly disclosed the exact number of victims or the specific charges brought against the fugitive. Nor have they provided details of the locations where the offences are alleged to have taken place, the ages of those affected, or whether all the incidents form part of the same investigation.

The notices issued by the National Crime Agency and Crimestoppers merely stated that Rocks was wanted by Police Scotland for "sex offences".

Rocks was born on 20 November 1988. The public alert described him as a white man of British nationality, 1.93 metres tall, of slim build and with light hair. His last known address was listed as unknown, although the authorities highlighted his links to Benidorm.

The manhunt in Spain began in 2024, when the National Police received a report from their British counterparts warning that the suspect might have taken refuge on Spanish territory.

Officers from the central family and women’s support unit took charge of the investigation and were initially able to locate him in the town in Alicante. During the investigation, they travelled to Benidorm and carried out surveillance and checks at the places he used to frequent.

The investigations made it possible to piece together some of his behavioural patterns and identify third parties who might have been assisting him. However, the precautions taken by Rocks and his frequent changes of location made it difficult to track him down.

While proceedings were underway in Spain, the police and judicial investigation continued in the United Kingdom. In February this year, the British authorities issued the international warrant that enabled them to step up efforts to arrest him and subject him to extradition proceedings.

Three months later, Rocks was included in a new public campaign launched by the National Crime Agency and Crimestoppers to track down 12 of the UK’s most wanted fugitives who might be in hiding in Spain or had links to the country.

The Spanish ministry of interior, the National Police and the Guardia Civil took part in the initiative, which was launched in Alicante to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Operation Captura, the cooperation programme set up to track down British criminals who had taken refuge in Spain.