Taxi driver arrested over murder of British diplomat in Beirut

A taxi driver has been arrested over the murder of a British embassy worker in Beirut whose body was found dumped by a motorway.

Rebecca Dykes.

The driver allegedly confessed to killing Rebecca Dykes and abandoning her body in the east of the capital, Lebanese state media reported.

The reports said the taxi driver had admitted attempting to rape the 30-year-old victim before strangling her with a rope.

It is believed Ms Dykes had been at a colleague’s leaving party in the Gemmayzeh district of Beirut on Friday night.

Lebanese police traced the alleged killer after his car was picked up on traffic management CCTV cameras.

An official said that the murder was a “criminal act” and not politically motivated.

Ms Dykes was working as a programme and policy manager with the Department for International Development and as policy manager with the Libya team at the Foreign Office (FCO), according to her LinkedIn page.

She had previously worked as an Iraq research analyst with the FCO.

British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter tweeted on Sunday that everyone at the embassy was “deeply shocked, saddened by this news”.

“My thoughts are with Becky’s family, friends and colleagues for their tragic loss,” he said.

“We’re providing consular support to her family & working very closely with Lebanese authorities who are conducting police investigation.”

Ms Dykes, a University of Manchester graduate, also had a masters in international security and global governance from Birkbeck, University of London.

She was a former pupil of Malvern Girls’ College and Rugby School and had spent time at a Chinese International School.

A Department for International Development spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with Becky’s family and friends at this very upsetting time.

“There is now a police investigation and the FCO is providing consular support to Becky’s family and working with the local authorities.”

The Foreign Office confirmed that an arrest had been made.