Posted on 08/05/2006 12:41:26 PM PDT by wagglebee
An English schoolgirl has been raped while on holiday with her family at a nudist colony in the south of France.
The girl, believed to be from London, is alleged to have been attacked by a 19-year-old man in a caravan at the Bélézy camp, one of Europe's biggest for naturists, at Bédoin in the Vaucluse.
She is said to be under 15 and regularly attends the colony with her family, who are of Swedish origin.
The suspect is described as a ''brilliant" science student who lives locally. He denied the charge when questioned by an investigating magistrate.
Michel Roubard, a defence lawyer, said his client contested the police version of events and insisted that sex took place "by consent after an evening when both had been drinking".
The youth is being held in custody and theoretically faces up to 30 years in jail for rape of a minor.
The camp, which was established 30 years ago at the foot of Mount Ventoux, attracts about 2,000 nudists each summer and the alleged rape is said to have caused deep shock among holidaymakers. Counselling has been offered to young people at the camp.
Pascal Leclere, the colony's manager, said: ''As the father of two children who are also naturists, I could never have imagined something like this happening here.''
The camp was created by hippies and enforces a strict no-clothes policy, with a sign reminding visitors from all over the world that "full-time nakedness is a basic obligation".
Suzanne Piper, a British agent for the camp, said that she was trying to establish whether the victim was a 14-year-old girl whose family booked their holiday through her company.
She said security at the camp was usually first-rate, with an 8ft perimeter fence and access by swipe cards.
"One wonders where on earth this girl's parents were? It was the middle of the night and they seem to have allowed her to go out drinking with these boys."
They are bad too. Rape never occurs when a strict Islamic dress code is enforced
It's France, where the kids start drinking wine early.
Glad somebody got it....
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