A nineteen-year-old British holidaymaker from York, Samantha Shaw, has been left with serious injuries following a violent incident in Benidorm on the evening of Sunday, twenty-first September. Samantha and her partner, Sam Kent, were returning to their hotel after a night out when the attack occurred. It began inside a bar when a spilled drink led to a brief scuffle and security asked the couple to leave. Outside, several women confronted Sam Kent about the earlier incident, leading to an argument.

Samantha reported that she was assaulted from behind by a man who was summoned by the women. “He hit me in the head or neck, I don’t remember exactly,” she recounted. “Then he looked at me, came back and smiled as he stabbed me with the bottle.” Samantha collapsed to the ground, suffering heavy blood loss, while nearby tourists rushed to assist her until emergency services arrived.

After being treated at Marina Baixa Hospital for deep cuts to her neck and arm, doctors in the UK have advised Samantha that she will be unable to drive or return to work for at least two months. The emotional toll of the attack has also been significant, with Samantha sharing, “I thought I was going to die. I can’t sleep, I have nightmares, and I don’t think I’ll ever go back. Benidorm has changed a lot; it’s not what it used to be.”

Samantha’s family has visited Benidorm for over twenty years, making this experience particularly shocking. She has sustained permanent scars and has expressed concern about the psychological impact of such violent behaviour, reflecting, “If someone can smile while stabbing a woman with a bottle, what else would they be capable of?” Local police are currently investigating the incident, which has alarmed regular holidaymakers to the area as it marks a distressing change in what was once considered a safe holiday destination.