Gabriel Marinoaica, 18, grabbed the girl as she played a game of catch with friends and dragged her out of her depth.
He then raped and sexually assaulted her in a "brazen" attack off a packed Bournemouth beach on one of the hottest days of 2021.
Marinoaica, who was at the seaside with his parents, placed his hand over the girl's mouth to stop her from screaming out during the attack.
The victim, who could not swim, broke free and managed to make it back to the shore.
She reported the rape to police who recovered a DNA sample from her bikini bottoms.
It was another 11 months before Marinoaica was identified through police inquiries and an appeal on TV's Crimewatch.
This story is from the April 20, 2024 edition of Daily Express.
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This story is from the April 20, 2024 edition of Daily Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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