A strong verdict in the face of a serious crime
The Court of Tarragona has made a significant decision in the case of a man accused of sexual assault on a girl under the age of 16, which occurred in 2015. The court has determined that the man will have to serve a sentence of 4 years and 11 months of supervised release, as well as a strict prohibition to communicate with the victim and to approach her within 500 meters for a period of 15 years. In addition, compensation of 30,000 euros has been imposed for the physical and psychological injuries inflicted on the young woman.
A case with multiple implications
The Prosecutor’s Office had requested a much more severe sentence, namely 85 years in prison, alleging the sexual assault of a minor under the age of 16 and his collaboration in five other crimes of sexual assault with penetration. However, the court has considered mitigating factors, such as reparation for the damage caused, drug addiction and delays in the judicial process, which have influenced the sentence.
Possibility of suspension of the sentence
The judge has given the convict a period of fifteen days to prove that he is undergoing treatment for his addiction or that he has achieved rehabilitation. If the defendant presents this evidence and is evaluated favorably by a medical examiner, the magistrate could suspend the five-year prison sentence initially contemplated.
Details of the attack
According to the prosecutor’s statements, the victim, who was in a vulnerable situation and with a disorder, had escaped from a juvenile center in Tarragona. It was then that she met a group of people who, after learning about her situation, took her to a home where she consumed drugs, remaining in a state of altered consciousness.
In a moment of weakness, several individuals took advantage of her inability to have sex with her. When the victim began to recover from the effects of the drugs and expressed a desire to return to the center, a larger group held her in a room, where she was sexually assaulted by at least five people, including the defendant.
An uncertain future for the convict
The final decision on the suspension of the sentence will be taken in the next fifteen days, leaving the fate of the condemned in suspense. The sentence has highlighted the seriousness of the situation and the impact these crimes have on the victims, as well as the need for a judicial system that can adequately address cases of sexual assault.
