For security reasons which govern his job as a policeman in Belfast, I am not able to identify the interviewee, but this is a genuine story and one which the Majorcan police and the courts are well aware of and have documented. In fact, he is still waiting for the police and the courts to return his stolen money, as promised.
The event took place in the early hours of Friday, 11 May.
"It was the 65th birthday of one of our colleagues, so we decided to head down to Majorca for a long weekend to give him a good party. We arrived in the early hours of Friday morning and everything was closed by the time we had checked in in Palmanova, so we decided to head into Magalluf and had a great time in the plaza. In total, we were 14 but during the night we all split up into different groups and at around 5.30am we decided to get something to eat and head back to the hotel and get some sleep.
"There were five in our group. As we started to walk back to our hotel, we were suddenly surrounded by a group of ten of these so-called prostitutes. They came out from behind trees and the shadows, they came from nowhere. Out of instinct I immediately shouted to the lads to stuff their hands in their pockets and keep them there. However, one of the women walked up to me and grabbed me tightly between my legs and I removed a hand from my pockets to swat her away, a natural instinct, and that was when the woman took my money, 130 euros.
"But they had picked on the wrong group, five coppers from Belfast. The women ran off, but I gave chase to the one who had first confronted me. I managed to catch up with her and I grabbed her jacket from behind and we both fell to the ground, injuring my shoulder. She managed to give me the slip but I was able to grab one of her shoes and a sock to slow her down while one of the other lads took up the chase.
"I eventually lost sight of them but in the meantime a taxi driver who had seen what was going on had called the police and they were on the scene extremely quickly. In the meantime my mate had caught the woman who had assaulted me and the police asked us if we wanted her arrested. Obviously we said yes. At the scene, police found her in the possession of British pound notes, a mobile and my 130 euros. But that was not the end of things.
"We then had to make a statement at the station in Santa Ponsa. So, there I was in the back of a cell van, unable to see anything as the police firstly took us to our hotel to collect the passports and then down to the station while one of the lads was taken to hospital for a check-up after the scuffle. There was a very efficient officer on duty who spoke quite good English and he told us to return later that night, when things were quiet to make a statement and then prepare to go to court.
"By this time we had already had the night ruined and no sleep. I tried to explain to the police that we were down for just a few days for a very important celebration and that I did not want to take the case further, I didn’t want to waste any more of the little time we had in Majorca. All I wanted was my money back and I knew the police had confiscated it from the woman who had assaulted me.
"So, by 8.45am we managed to get back to the hotel and I thought that was the end of it and we could start enjoying the birthday weekend. However, at 5pm I got a call from reception where two police officers were waiting for me. They had come to remind me that I was due to make a statement later that night. Again I tried to explain that we had a big dinner planned that night and that I really was not interested in taking the matter any further. Plus, I didn’t want to start wasting more money on taxis back and forth to Santa Ponsa. They left and again I thought that was the end of the matter.
"First thing Saturday morning, two members of the Guardia Civil turned up at the hotel with a load of paperwork in Spanish, which I was told to sign first and then instructed to appear in court in Palma at 5pm. At first I said I had no intention of going because we had birthday plans, but the officers made a gesture which suggested that if I failed to comply, I would be arrested. Now, due to my profession, I know that as a victim you cannot be forced or compelled to appear in court against your will, but I thought if I don’t show I will only get arrested.
"So, off I went, another 50 euros into Palma and back. I arrived at the Palma courts at 5pm and didn’t leave until 9pm. An interpreter was provided and I made my statement. The woman who had assaulted me was also there with a solicitor. He began talking to me and started questioning my statement, in particular about the injuries his client had sustained.
"I told him that I had also been injured during the scuffle and eventually realised where he was trying to go, he was trying to turn the whole incident on me. So, I told him what my profession was and that I know about the law and he quickly backed off.
"Now, back to the money. As it was a weekend, I was informed that the money could not be electronically sent from Santa Ponsa to the court, but it would be transferred to my account in Belfast on the Monday or Tuesday. I am still waiting for my money and I would like some kind of comment or assistance from the British authorities in Majorca.
"If I had walked up to a woman in the UK and grabbed her tightly between the legs, I would have been arrested for sexual assault to start with, never mind being assaulted and robbed, which is what happened. And I have no idea what happened to the woman who attacked me.
"It’s such a shame. I love Palmanova and Majorca, I’ve been before and I have a week booked in October, the resort is beautiful. But I’ve just never been into Magalluf before and I certainly will not be going again. In the meantime, I’m still waiting for my money, which I know is sitting in the police station in Santa Ponsa."