Tourist who carved name in Colosseum identified by Italian police

Italian police say they believe the man filmed while engraving his name and that of his apparent girlfriend last week on the ancient Roman Colosseum is a tourist who lives in Britain.

The identification was made using photographic comparisons, Italian Carabinieri said in a statement.

The press release also noted, "That the proceeding is in the preliminary investigation phase, therefore the suspect must consider himself innocent until a final sentence is issued".

UK media is widely reporting the culprit who carved “Ivan+Haley 23” on the Colosseum wall to be 27-year-old Bulgarian-born fitness instructor Ivan Dimitrov,  who also goes by the name Ivan Hawkins.

He and his long-term girlfriend 33-year-old Hayley Bracey reportedly live together near the city of Bristol in southwest England. Bracey is thought to run her own sports nutrition business. 

Italy's Minister for Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano said "This action offended all those around the world who appreciate the value of archaeology, monuments and history. I now hope that justice will take its course by strictly applying the laws."   

Sangiuliano said he was looking forward to the Parliamentary debate on toughening laws to punish those who ruin archaeological heritage. "Those who damage will pay," he added.

He also warned that if the person is brought to trial, the Ministry of Culture will declare itself an offended party.

Italy's most popular tourist attraction, the nearly 2,000-year-old Colosseum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-known symbols of Imperial Rome.

Footage of the incident went viral on social media, at a time when Romans have already been complaining about hordes of tourists visiting the city this year.

The video shows a bearded young man in a