The ratification of the sentence
The Appeals Chamber of the Court of Barcelona has confirmed the conviction of a taxi driver for assaulting three girls in Gavà. The taxi driver was sentenced to six months in prison and to the payment of a fine of 1,350 euros for a crime against the exercise of public rights and freedoms, as well as for three minor crimes of injury. This sentence, which was the subject of an appeal, has been ratified three years after the events.
the facts
The events date back to the night of March 3, 2019, when the taxi driver assaulted the girls in the parking lot of the Row nightclub in Gavà. According to the sentence, the taxi driver insulted the girls with offensive expressions and then got out of the vehicle to confront them, even punching one of them, leaving her unconscious.
The arguments of the defense
The taxi driver’s defense argued that the versions of the events were contradictory and that other witnesses presented different versions of the events. He also emphasized that the events took place during a Carnival night, where the girls were dressed up, and stated that the discussion was not based on discriminatory reasons but on the reaction to a hit on the vehicle.
The decision of the court
However, the court rejected these allegations and stated that the expressions uttered by the taxi driver were forceful and were motivated by the sexual condition of the girls. In addition, he pointed out that the girls suffered psychological damage due to the events they experienced.
Reactions to the sentence
The lawyer for the three complainants, Álvaro Machado, celebrated the court’s decision and highlighted the commitment of justice in the fight against inequalities and prejudices. Likewise, he stressed that the sentence can still be appealed to the Supreme Court.
