BRITAIN'S MOST-WANTED FUGITIVE ARRESTED IN MADRID

John Rocks, aged 37, was arrested in Madrid on Saturday by the Spanish National Police following an investigation launched by Scottish police in 2024. Rocks was wanted over alleged sexual assaults committed between 2012 and 2022. The Spanish National Police said he had been concealing his identity and living a nomadic life whilst evading detection. An international warrant for his arrest was issued in February.

The investigation proved complex due to measures Rocks took to conceal himself, according to the Spanish National Police. Officers initially searched for him in Benidorm before establishing a surveillance operation on a central street in Madrid. The police conducted multiple trips to Benidorm, numerous surveillance operations and on-site checks at places he was known to frequent, which allowed investigators to establish patterns of behaviour and identify third parties who may have assisted him. During the operation, Rocks was located whilst wearing a cap and glasses to partially conceal his face.

Rocks is being held in a Spanish prison pending a decision on extradition. The National Crime Agency thanked Spanish police for their work in apprehending him. Rick Jones, NCA Deputy Director International, said the arrest marked the 101st under Operation Captura, a multi-agency campaign tracking the UK's most wanted individuals in Spain.