Alicante’s provincial court handed down a total prison term of 11 years to a 22-year-old man for attempted murder and additional time for theft involving violence, following a brutal assault linked to a debt dispute tied to drug sales. The sentence also orders the defendant to pay substantial compensation to the victim for injuries and ongoing consequences. Prosecutors had sought more than 100,000 euros for injuries and lasting sequelae. The verdict, issued by the Tenth Division after a trial held this week, is subject to appeal and breaks down into 7 years and 6 months for attempted murder and 3 years and 6 months for the violent theft.
The acts established by the court took place on Pintor Cabrera Street in Alcoy, on the morning of May 12, 2021. The defendant arranged to meet another young man that day to settle a disputed small debt related to the sale of drugs. The two agreed to meet outside a bar after the debt had been demanded.
Close to a bar
The victim left his home and waited near a bar on Pintor Cabrera Street. Around 10:30 a.m., the defendant arrived by scooter, stepped off, and produced a hammer. He struck the other man multiple times to settle the debt dispute. The victim managed to fend off the attack with the help of a chair and escaped the incident.
The defendant continued to strike as the assault unfolded, reportedly muttering threats about killing the victim as the hammer continued to connect. The blow to the head was described as severe, and the court noted that it was clear the impact could have caused death. The victim collapsed on the ground after receiving the blow to the left side of the head and struggled to stay conscious as the events continued.
After the attack, the defendant took the victim’s phone and left the scene on a scooter. He then went to a nearby bar where the victim’s mother worked and handed over the hammer, telling her to wash or dispose of it.
The court recorded that the victim sustained a head injury that required months to stabilize and left lasting limitations described as difficulties in daily living activities. The impact of the injuries is acknowledged in the sentence as a significant consequence for the victim.
Both men admitted to having met to discuss the dispute over the sale of drugs. While the defendant acknowledged striking the victim, he argued that the hammer accidently came into his possession and that he used it in self defense. The court did not find this claim credible and rejected it as a false explanation for the events.
With regard to the victim’s phone number, the defendant claimed to have received it by mistake, thinking it belonged to him. The court treated this assertion as a misleading attempt to alter the record and dismissed it as lacking credibility.