This high-profile case has seen the renowned former Barcelona defender detained since his arrest in January of the previous year...
Digital Desk: Catalonia's top court has handed down a significant verdict, sentencing former Brazilian football player Dani Alves to four and a half years in jail for sexually abusing a woman in a Barcelona nightclub back in 2022. The court also mandated Alves to compensate the victim with 150,000 euros ($162,990).
The court's statement emphasized, "The sentence considers that it has been proven that the victim did not consent and that there is evidence, in addition to the plaintiff's testimony, to consider the rape proven." Alves, aged 40, had been on trial for three days earlier this month, during which he vehemently denied any misconduct. However, the court found him guilty, and there is an option to appeal the ruling.
This high-profile case has seen the renowned former Barcelona defender detained since his arrest in January of the previous year. The prosecution sought a nine-year prison term along with an additional ten years of probation. Alves, a three-time Champions League champion, has played for illustrious clubs like Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
The alleged incident took place at the Sutton nightclub on December 31, 2022. Prosecutors claimed that Alves coerced the accuser into intercourse in the nightclub's private toilet, despite her pleas for him to stop, leaving her traumatized. The victim, testifying behind a screen to conceal her identity, described the anguish and terror she felt during the encounter.
The court heard emotional accounts from witnesses, including the victim's companion, who described the woman as "crying uncontrollably" after leaving the restroom, revealing the extent of her distress. Police officers attending to her reported that she was agitated and in a state of shock, expressing fear that no one would believe her if she filed a complaint.
Alves maintained that the encounter was consensual, denying allegations of violence. He insisted, "I am not that type of man, I am not violent," and suggested that the woman could have left if she wanted to.
His 31-year-old wife, Joana Sanz, testified that Alves appeared heavily intoxicated when he returned home on the night in question. Alves initially denied knowing the woman in a television interview but later admitted to having consensual sex with her, citing fear of abandonment by his wife as the reason for the initial denial.
The case has garnered widespread attention not only due to Alves' celebrity status but also because it coincides with an increased focus on gender violence in Spanish public discourse. This landmark trial takes place against the backdrop of a 2022 law in Spain, making consent a crucial factor in sexual assault cases and doubling the minimum prison sentence for assaults involving violence.
As the legal proceedings unfold, this case stands as a notable chapter in the ongoing conversation about consent, sexual assault, and the accountability of public figures, further highlighting the broader societal issues at play.
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