A case that shocks the community
The judicial situation of a man accused of attacking two women in different towns in the Vallès Oriental region, in the province of Barcelona, is in full process. In this case, the Prosecutor’s Office has requested a sentence of 21 years in prison for the accused due to the serious crimes committed.
Developments in the trial
The trial, which began on Monday in the Third Section of the Barcelona Court, is expected to end tomorrow with the statement of the accused. During the first session, the testimony of one of the victims was carried out as pre-constituted evidence. This statement was collected during the investigation stage, since the young woman was a minor at the time of the events.
The attack in the fitting room
The victim, a teenager, reported that on January 5, 2022, she was in the fitting room of a Pull & Bear store, located on Anselm Clavé Street in Granollers, trying on clothes. At that moment, the accused burst into her cubicle, suddenly grabbing her by the neck. The young woman, confused and thinking that it was a joke, realized that the situation was much more serious when the subject pressed her against the wall, suffocating her until she lost consciousness.
A shocking testimony
He remembers that the next moment he woke up on the locker room floor, without his pants. A Mossos d’Esquadra agent, who testified as a witness, indicated that they received the alert from the store’s security guard while they were patrolling a pedestrian area. Upon arrival, they found the young woman in a state of shock and noticeably scared. Immediately, they knew that she had suffered an assault.
The mataleón technique
Investigators determined that the attacker used the mataleón technique, a maneuver known in martial arts that involves applying pressure around the victim’s neck to render him unconscious. The teenager complained of a sore throat and had difficulty breathing, which caused concern to the officers who treated her.
A terrifying experience
Another agent who helped the young woman commented that she narrated how, while she was trying on the clothes and taking photos to send to a friend, a man opened the curtain of the fitting room. Saying ‘excuse me’, he quickly closed the curtain, which the victim did not interpret as a threat at the time. However, a short time later she suffered the attack.
A second attack in the park
The new victim and her brave testimony
The second victim, who appeared at the trial without protective curtains, recounted her experience. On December 19, 2021, while running through a park in Caldes de Montbui, she noticed a man approaching. She described how the attacker grabbed her by the neck and threw her to the ground. Terrified and thinking about her little son, who was three years old at the time, she fought with all her might, but the attacker suffocated her until she felt like she was going to faint.
A story of survival
Delivered before the court, the victim said that, scared, she asked the aggressor to do whatever he wanted, but to let her breathe. Despite her pleas, he proceeded to sexually assault her, even knowing that she was menstruating, and after committing the attack, he simply left the place.
Emotional and legal consequences
More than two years after these traumatic events, the woman still faces psychological difficulties, especially in the dark or in the presence of strangers. Due to the approaching trial, she has been forced to take a leave of absence from work to deal with her anxiety. The Prosecutor’s Office requests a sentence of 21 years in prison for two crimes of sexual assault, along with an additional charge for injuries, in addition to significant compensation for both victims.
A call for justice
This case has highlighted the vulnerability of women in everyday situations and the need for a judicial system that acts firmly against these crimes. The search for justice has become a cry that resonates in society.