The mother of the victim’s family describes how he manipulated everyone: girls and parents alike. A cigarette seller who could convince people he was the ideal person and a role model for children, even when signs suggested otherwise. Central Natural Equestre l’Espiga, tied to Arenys de Munt (Barcelona), has been held in precautionary prison since Friday on charges of sexually abusing seven young girls. [Source attribution: local press reporting on the case]
Luis P G, better known as Luixi, is a 38-year-old man of Spanish nationality who opened an equestrian facility in this town in Maresme, a region with about 8,000 residents. In 2017, he lived on-site in a trailer parked beside the horse shed. He had been largely unknown to Arenys de Munt residents, who say he convinced them through his family in Sant Celoni that he was an expert in natural training, a discipline that rejects tools like the bit, which is iron placed in the horse’s mouth, prioritizing the welfare of animals. It is now believed this was a fabrication, as witnesses allege he beat horses and lacked the training or authority to teach. [Source attribution: local news reports]
First doubts
Shortly before the pandemic, concerns about Luixi’s possible sexual abuse began to surface. Yet these warnings barely reached Arenys residents, who were buoyed by the trainer’s positive image among other parents who ignored them and kept bringing their children to classes. [Source attribution: local coverage]
Students from nearby schools attended lessons at the L’Espiga center as an extracurricular activity promoted by AMPA. In summer, Luixi ran all-day camps, with some weeks allowing overnight stays in tents. A mother who spoke with this newspaper recalls, “I had an excuse to hide the younger ones there and sleep with the older ones.” Victims have described abuse targeting teenagers aged 13 to 16, whom Luixi allegedly lured by flattering them about their worth and offering them opportunities to work with him. [Source attribution: survivor testimonies]
On Monday, April 3, a family filed a formal complaint with Mossos d’Esquadra, triggering a chain of revelations. Pandora’s box had opened. [Source attribution: police chronology]
Arrested
Luixi was taken into custody the following day, Tuesday, April 4. Investigators received six new complaints after the arrest, and by Friday the person under investigation was remanded by the Arenys court to preventive detention. “There are more victims,” said a mother who filed the initial complaint. [Source attribution: court statements]
The minors’ statements were described as strong by Catalan police to the mayor. The City Council announced it would pursue charges against Luixi. Some complainants described not only sexual harassment but also psychological abuse. [Source attribution: police briefing]
“Hand on Fire”
For many Arenys de Munt residents, Luixi’s arrest came as a surprise, tempered by some parents’ past warnings, especially for families from other towns who had enrolled children in L’Espiga and believed Luixi’s kindness and love for animals. One mother, who has sent her daughter to camps for three summers, recalled, “We used to trust him. He seemed to love children and horses.” She added that it was striking how young some of his teaching aides appeared. [Source attribution: interviews]
Several horse owners from the center came to the stables to pick up their animals on Thursday after Luixi’s arrest. Others chose to leave horses in the barn. Accounts of how Luixi treated the animals vary by witness. Two owners who kept the horses at L’Espiga claimed he cared for them well, while other parents reported seeing the opposite—allegations of striking horses with a rope and denying them food, and at least one incident where a horse was punched in the nose and bled. [Source attribution: parent testimonies]
On Sunday, about a dozen horses remained at the center, some grazing while others were in confined spaces. The caravan where most reported assaults occurred was sealed by Mossos. [Source attribution: on-site observations]