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10 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 JANUARY 2020 MATTHEW AGIUS A Dutchman who is the sub- ject of an ongoing rape com- pilation of evidence in Malta has been detained in Sofia for yet another brutal rape on New Year's Eve – one of a string of similar sex at- tacks he allegedly carried out across the globe. The Bulgarian Interior Ministry said suspect Jo- hann Frederick Stellingw- erf had been arrested and later placed under house arrest. He is understood to have been stopped at a So- fia hostel, whilst in transit to Malta. According to interviews with the 32-year-old vic- tim, the man had met her at a bar, before he invited her home and spiked her drink. The barely-conscious woman was then brutally raped, after which Stellingwerf threw her out into the street, where she was found by a police patrol. Bulgarian police reportedly found bloody marks inside his home. The Sofia District Pros- ecutor's Office has imposed a ban on Stellingwerf from leaving the country until the case is closed. 'The Valium Rapist' The son of two lawyers, the Dutch media described Stellingwerf as "a handsome and intelligent man who eas- ily catches the attention of women." Sedative medication Valium has been found in the blood of some of the victims for whom he was detained and convicted, earning him the nickname 'the Valium rapist'. He had been charged in Malta in 2014, after his for- mer girlfriend accused him of raping her several times over the span of two months. His Maltese lawyer, Jason Grima, had argued that the sex was consensual. The man had later also filed criminal proceedings against his Maltese ex-girlfriend, ac- cusing her of taking the law into her own hands when she took some of his belongings. But the local case against Stellingwerf stalled after the Dutchman was detained in Spain over another rape. His long history of sex crimes began in 2006, when, according to Dutch media, several women had come forward to the police to file reports of being sexually as- saulted by the man. The sce- nario is always the same: Stel- lingwerf selected young girls – 18-year-olds whilst visiting bars and discos in the Am- sterdam and Leiden area; he would then charm his way in- to buying them drinks, which would be spiked with a seda- tive, before raping them. Stellingwerf, then 26, was arrested in Brazil in 2007, suspected of four rapes and one attempted rape. Dozens of witnesses testified against him during the case. In addi- tion to his DNA at the scene, drugs were also found in his car. Stellingwerf denied all the allegations and claimed that the girls had willingly participated in the sexual en- counters. He was sentenced to ten years in prison, which were later reduced to five years. He then ventured to Poland, Malta and Spain. In Malta and Spain, more women came forward with rape claims. But whilst on bail for the Malta rape case, he was ar- rested in Barcelona on a com- plaint by a young Spanish woman who accused him of sexual assault. It is not clear when and how he arrived in Bulgaria. He is understood to have worked as a teacher there, but was fired after missing work too often. Lawyers in Bulgaria have sharply criticised the mag- istrates' decision to release the man, but according to the judges, the evidence of Stellingwerf's criminal past was based only on publica- tions on the Internet. The man had leased property and owned a registered company in Bulgaria, which eliminated the danger of him going into hiding, according to Sofia city magistrates. In 2015, Stellingwerf had al- so challenged proceedings in Malta calling on the police to take action against the wom- an for making false rape ac- cusations against him. In pre- vious sittings, the courts had been told how the rape claim had been made at the same time that the woman was emailing nude photographs of herself to the accused. In a Constitutional applica- tion filed by the Dutchman in November, he had claimed that the criminal proceedings against him had breached his fundamental rights, not least the decision to prohibit the press from reporting the case – an unnecessary measure as much of the evidence was purely of a legal nature. The Maltese woman who had reported Stellingwerf to the police, accusing him of rape and fraud, was then- found guilty of taking the law into her own hands after she held on to his possessions. The court took into account the fact that the woman admitted that the clothes, which were obviously men's clothing, and the IT equip- ment were used by the com- plainant. It admonished the woman for acting as if the items were hers and for taking the law into her own hands. Magistrate Josette Demicoli found the woman guilty of the charges brought against her and handed her a six- month conditional discharge. magius@mediatoday.com.mt 'Valium rapist' facing Malta charges, under arrest in Bulgaria Johann Frederick Stellingwerf A young woman from Sofia, Bulgaria, got in contact with MaltaToday to share her terrifying experience at the hands of the Valium rapist. "It was early Christmas Day evening when I met him. He was sitting at the bar and smiled to me, while I was looking for a table with my friends. I smiled back. He was a good-looking man. He sat at the table next to us. After a while my friends wanted to leave and I told them that I would finish my drink. The moment they left, he invited me to his table. We already had some small talk so I agreed. His attitude to me was great, the conversation was amazing, he was kind, smart, understanding, I had absolutely no clue how this evening would end. He suggested we could go to have something for dinner and then continue to drink. I agreed. It was cold outside and he offered that we go to his place where he would make us pasta. He had already shared with me that he was gay, so I agreed again. I didn't feel any threat. When we arrived at his apartment, he gave us some drinks. He asked me whether I liked to try different kinds of spirits. I said that usually I am stuck with one kind, but again agreed to have some shots with him. He was very charming. Suddenly I realised that I felt dizzy and told him that I am going home. He tried to convince me to stay a little bit longer. I told him again that I had a great time with him and I am looking forward for our next meeting. While I was getting up from the chair and taking my bag, he pushed me against the wall, next to the door and start choking me. I couldn't believe what was happening. I pushed him back and tried to tell him to leave me alone and that I didn't like what was happening. He choked me harder, he is very strong. I barely could breathe and then I realised that something really terrifying is happening to me. He choked me so hard I lost consciousness. After that I don't remember much. I just remember how he removed my clothes, holding my neck very tight. I was so frightened." Bulgarian victim of sex attack speaks out