Badajoz County Court delivered a lengthy judgment in December 2020 concerning a man accused of trying to sever his ex-wife’s hands during an incident in Almendralejo, Badajoz. He was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in prison after the court found him to have terminated the emotional relationship. The victim suffered serious injuries that left substantial loss of function in both arms.
The court deemed the defendant fully liable for the assault resulting in injury, citing the presence of aggravating factors including kinship and gender dynamics, and a prior restraint violation due to a restraining order in place from a previous act of violence. During sentencing, the court also considered a confession of lightened severity for both offenses, as requested by the defense.
Separately, the defendant received a prison term of 10 years and 6 months for the injury offense, and a total prohibition for 16 years against approaching or communicating with the victim within 500 meters of her home or workplace. In addition, a 9-month sentence was imposed for a related violation. Prosecutors and the special prosecutor had sought 11 years for the first offense and 11 months for the second.
The convict is required to compensate the victim for both physical and moral damages in the amount of 148,633.16 euros.
Evidence at trial showed that the attacker, despite a restraining order active for the victim on December 26, 2020, forcibly entered her home by breaking down the door at approximately 23:10. He entered the woman’s bedroom, waking her with loud sounds, and, with extreme aggression, seized her by the hair, dragged her into the street, and demanded that they continue the relationship. In the confrontation, he slashed both wrists multiple times with a knife carried on his person, aiming to undermine her physical integrity and to demonstrate domination. The victim lost consciousness due to the severity of the injuries, resulting in 425 days of recovery involving extensive medical-surgical treatment and targeted functional rehabilitation.
At the April 27 hearing held behind closed doors at the Badajoz Provincial Court, the convict admitted that his ex-wife had seriously injured his hands with a knife but claimed he acted in a state of jealousy and under alcohol intoxication.
The sentence is not final and may be appealed before the Civil and Criminal Division of the Extremadura High Court of Justice (TSJEx) in due course, according to filing procedures described by the court at the time of judgment.