A 40-year-old British man stands accused of murder in a case unfolding in Rojales. His 21-year-old countryman, a longtime acquaintance, was declared innocent in a public jury trial that began on Monday. The hearing in Elche is scheduled to run through Thursday. The defendant denies being the person responsible for the fatal neck wound and places blame on the homeowner where the incident took place on 1 October 2020.
The prosecution is seeking prison terms that could reach up to 16 years for murder and related theft charges, arguing that the accused stole a bag from the owner’s partner before attempting to flee. A special prosecutor, led by the victim’s mother, has requested 15 years for manslaughter, while the defense maintains the accused did not cause the stabbing and seeks acquittal. The precise charge will depend on the verdict of the popular jury, expected next Thursday in the Seventh Court Trial, which was originally held in Elche.
The Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor also indicated that the defendant should compensate 100,000 euros to the victim’s parents, in addition to paying 688 euros to the owner of the stolen bag.
Before the accused is questioned, the forensic attorney for the jury court read the indictment and the defense notes. According to the prosecutor, the accused shared a residence with the victim in Orihuela Costa, despite the conflict in Rojales. On 30 September 2020, the two men went to a recreational venue in Ciudad Quesada and later moved into a house in Rojales owned by a British couple they had met at the resort.
deadly controversy
During their stay in the Rojales home, the two men reportedly consumed alcohol and drugs for much of the day. The prosecutor says that after a dispute began at dawn on 1 October, the victim was stabbed in the throat, leading to his death.
The public ministry states that the attacker then entered the owners’ room and took the woman’s purse, valued at 688 euros.
Responding to questions from the prosecution, the defendant recalled that he had known the 21-year-old victim since childhood and that the victim had recently returned from England. He described the victim as a close family friend who had been living with him in Villamartín in Orihuela Costa for several weeks around the time of the events. The defendant said he had offered the man a place to stay after the man faced difficulties in England and did not want to return to jail. He added that the victim was a supportive friend who had helped him during times of trouble.
According to the defendant, the two men left the house in Orihuela Costa and traveled in the accused’s car to buy hash. They later stopped at a car wash and then moved to a game room in the Ciudad Quesada area. There they encountered a British couple who housed them for a period.
The owner of the residence in question reportedly kept cocaine on the premises. The defendant claims they visited the house to use drugs, and after several hours, an argument erupted in the morning. He says the victim became angry with the homeowner over the handling of another drug portion and attacked him. The defendant says he suffered intoxication and a knife incident occurred, leading to the fatal stabbing that caused the victim to bleed out after collapsing on the street.
Opposing accounts exist. The prosecutor and the special prosecutor say the friend was the aggressor, while the friend contends he fled the home fearing a confrontation with the landlord.
The defendant’s interrogation at the Elche courthouse was halted at 15:00 and his testimony was set to resume later in the day.