A social educator working at Aldeas Infantiles de Redondela in Galicia was sentenced to 11 years in prison. prison For sexually abusing a child under the age of 13 He lived in a house in the center. Taking advantage of his functions, lineage and the girl’s helpless situation, he gained the girl’s trust and appreciation until he managed to maintain an “emotional relationship” with the victim, with whom he had a “full affair” in addition to sleeping in the center. Sexual relations on a road trip to Santiago de Compostela, on a trip to Italy or at home in the Arcade. The woman was fired because of these events.
The convicted woman had been working at the child protection center since 2014. The events described in the decision of the Fifth Chamber of the Pontevedra Regional Court, headquartered in Vigo, took place in 2019. The social educator, who declared himself innocent at the hearing, was responsible for the maintenance of the house where the child, who declared that he had been in despair since 2018, lived and whose custody was entrusted to him by Xunta NGO roundelana.
In March 2019, the woman began a “more friendly approach” towards the girl, giving her “more attention” than other minors in the house. This is how he gained the victim’s trust, they sexually abuse each other “while alone”: The first was an incident in Santiago where they went shopping together in the car, and further incidents of this nature occurred at another house, in their home in the Arcade. In Vigo or on a trip to Italy, where more minors and responsible people from the center go. On the trip in question, the events took place while the little boy was taking a shower in a bungalow.
The girl’s expression is important
According to the judges, there is an “accumulation of data” that reveals the “sexual climate” that “dominates the relationship between the defendant and the victim.” “perverted attitude” behavior of the woman. One of the most important pieces of evidence is the minor’s testimony, which “provided rich detail about the dates, places, or moments” when the events occurred and did not show hostility towards the now-convicted person. “On the contrary,” the court adds, referring to the fact that the minor confessed to having “fallen in love” with the social educator, finding a relationship in which he felt “love,” “devotion,” and “devotion.” loved and valued.” ”, until he realized he was being manipulated.
The court also takes into account “external corroboration” to consider what happened as proven, citing the testimony of witnesses who attended the hearing, including officials and employees of the Redondela center. The manager said that after the trip to Porto, an “incident” occurred and he learned that the worker was having a relationship with an underage child. She spoke to both of them and the defendant told her, exculpatory, that the whole thing was a “tantrum” on the girl’s part. He told her to get away from the minor, but she “did not follow orders” as she continued to receive reports that they were both “wandering around alone” or that the educator was sleeping with the victim inside the house. .
Other household staff spoke of the defendant’s “special attention” to the minor child and of his “exaggerated” and “excessive” intervention. Messages or emails with the text “it was great being with you like this” underneath a photo of two apparently naked people covered in a sheet are evidence given more value by the court. Including this sentence 8 years probation, 15 years expulsion and 8,000 euro compensation For the victim, the decision is not yet final and can be appealed.