GUILTY Lebanon - Rebecca Dykes, 30, UK embassy worker, slain, Beirut, 16 Dec 2017 *Arrest*

A woman who worked at the UK embassy in Beirut has been found dead.

The body of Rebecca Dykes was reportedly found on the side of a motorway in the early hours of Saturday morning. The circumstances surrounding her death were unclear, but local police officials suggested she had been strangled.

Her body was found without any identity papers on the Metn highway, which leads out of Beirut to the north-east suburbs. A forensic examination suggested she had died at around 4am on Saturday.
A Lebanese judicial source told the Guardian that Dykes, who is believed to be 30, had spent the evening in the company of friends at a cafe in Gemmayze, a district of Beirut known for its cafes, bars and restaurants.She is thought to have left on her own at around midnight.

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It is unclear whether she was accompanied when she left. Her body was found near the Metn Expressway on Saturday, and taken to the Dahr al-Bashak Hospital for post mortem.

According to Lebanese officials, the inquiry is looking at the possibility that Ms Dykes was sexually assaulted before being strangled. However, there has been no official confirmation as to the cause of death.

Ms Dykes was due to fly back to London this weekend for Christmas. A spokesman for her family said: “We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened.”

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yurena said:

Devastating news RIP Rebecca Dykes.

At the risk of sounding discriminatory please do not travel or go to work to countries such as Lebanon and those in a similar vein. These places are always potentially dangerous, especially for young females.

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[h=1]Uber driver confesses to killing British diplomat in Beirut, says source[/h] Lebanese driver named as Tariq H arrested on Monday after body of Rebecca Dykes was found by a motorway over weekend

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The source said Dykes had hired the driver using the ride-hailing app. Lebanon’s official state news agency, NNA, said the vehicle that picked her up was identified using CCTV footage. The results of two autopsies showed that Dykes had not been raped, contrary to media reports, but investigators believe the suspect had attempted to sexually assault her, the source said.

A spokesman for Uber said in an email: “We are horrified by this senseless act of violence. Our hearts are with the victim and her family. We are working with authorities to assist their investigation in any way we can.”

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Uber driver with criminal past

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She left the bar around midnight, where the driver picked her up and drove her to a nearby neighborhood where she lived — but didn’t drop her off, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said. The man then tried to sexually assault her and strangled her with a rope before dumping her body on the side of the highway, NNA reported. Lebanese media added that marks were found on her neck.

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When Dykes’ body was found, there were no items pointing to her identity and she had no money or a cellular telephone. Authorities released a drawing of her in order for people who know her to come forward and identify her.

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The murder has shaken Lebanon, where such crimes, particularly against foreigners, are relatively uncommon. Beirut has been considered relatively safe despite recent chaos in the Middle East.

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Dotta said:

British embassy worker was raped and murdered by Uber driver in Beirut

Rebecca Dykes was strangled to death by taxi driver Tariq Houshieh as he attacked her after she tried to return home in the capital of Lebanon in December 2017.

www.dailymail.co.uk

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