An Egyptian asylum seeker has been placed in pre-trial detention in Italy following his arrest on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy in broad daylight as he walked home from school.

The attack occurred at around 2 p.m. near Via Settembrini, Reggio Emilia, in the north of the country.

As reported by Gazzetta di Reggio, the minor had gotten off a bus and was walking home from school when he was approached by the migrant. Investigators said the suspect had already clocked the teen while on the bus and began following him after he got off at his stop.

The suspect allegedly attempted to strike up a conversation with the boy, who tried to walk away.

According to police, the suspect then grabbed the boy from behind, stripped him naked, and sexually assaulted him. The victim managed to escape and ran to a nearby ice cream parlor for help. Staff then alerted the authorities.

CCTV footage from both inside the bus and the surrounding areas assisted officers with a reconstruction of the moments before and after the assault. Witness statements and a video recorded by the victim himself in the moments preceding the attack were also crucial in building a case against the suspect.

At a preliminary investigations hearing, the judge approved the request of the public prosecutor’s office for pre-trial detention. The 25-year-old suspect was charged with sexual assault against a minor and transferred to prison to be held on remand.

Few details surrounding how and when the Egyptian national arrived in Europe have been released; however, he already has a criminal record in Italy for minor offenses.