Brit scholar, 21, is dragged right into a bush and overwhelmed in terrifying intercourse assault at Italian bus cease earlier than taxi driver finds her ‘staggering on the street’

A British student was dragged into the bushes and beaten in a terrifying sex attack at an Italian bus stop.

The 21-year-old was found ‘staggering in the street’ by a taxi driver after the assault in the Villa Borghese gardens, Rome, on Monday evening.

Her attacker pulled her behind a bush and tried to rape her, but fled when her screams rang out, local media reported.

Taxi driver Fabio Moccia said he rushed over after realising something was wrong.

‘She was staggering down the street. She was crying, her face was swollen. I shone my headlights on her. There was no one behind her,’ he said.

‘I stopped immediately and turned the car toward her, shining my headlights around. I didn’t see anyone else.

‘She was crying, in despair. I got out and tried to calm her down. She had two bruises on the right side of her face. 

A British student was dragged into bushes and beaten in a terrifying sex attack at an Italian bus stop

The 21-year-old was found ‘staggering in the street’ by a taxi driver after the assault in Villa Borghese, Rome on Monday evening. Pictured: The Propilei Neoclassici, a monumental entrance to the Villa Borghese gardens

 ‘The man had hit her to knock her out before taking her behind the bushes.

‘But he didn’t succeed in raping her.’

Moccia said the student was unable to call for help because her phone battery had died. 

‘She only spoke English, I tried to understand what she was saying,’ he told local media.

‘She was very scared, also because her cell phone had run out of battery and she didn’t know how to call for help. So she started walking toward Via Veneto.

‘At first I realized that she had been attacked, then that someone had tried to unbutton her pants.’

Moccia called an ambulance and stayed with her until paramedics arrived. 

The woman’s clothes were seized by Carabinieri officers from the investigative unit for DNA testing, while the scene was combed for further evidence. 

Police are also examining CCTV footage from the area as they hunt for the attacker.

Moccia said he hopes onboard cameras in other taxis may have captured something useful and added that the park should have more CCTV coverage. 

‘There’s a lot of people coming and going, tourists and single women. That would be important,’ he said.