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Uber Driver Arrested After Death Of British Diplomat

The body of Rebecca Dykes was found near a motorway on Sunday

An Uber driver arrested over the death of British diplomat Rebecca Dykes in Beirut, Lebanon, has reportedly confessed to killing her.

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Ms Dykes’s body was found strangled by the side of the Metn highway in the early hours of Saturday morning. She was last seen alive on Friday at a party in Gemmayzeh and left in the suspect’s car, the Guardian reports. 

A judicial source told the British publication that a Lebanese driver, named as Tariq H, has admitted to the crime. The source also confirmed Ms Dykes had been sexually assaulted.

“The prisoner has confessed that he took advantage of the drunken state of the young woman and he drove towards a highway without her realising. He pulled over in a quiet place,” a judicial source told AFP.

“When he began to sexually assault her, she resisted, she was able to escape from the car and started to scream, until he took her back to the car and strangled her.”

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Believed to be around 30 years old, Ms Dykes worked at the British embassy for the Department for International Development.

In a statement released by the British Foreign Office, Ms Dykes’ family said: “For Becky to have her life cruelly taken away in these circumstances is devastating to our family. Becky is simply irreplaceable and we will never fully recover from this loss.”

A spokesman for Uber also explained the company was assisting with the investigation.

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“We are horrified by this senseless act of violence. Our hearts are with the victim and her family,” the spokesperson said.

“We are working with authorities to assist their investigation in any way we can.”

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