Case Overview
The case centers on a high-profile allegation involving a former FC Barcelona player. The complainant seeks the maximum prison sentence allowed by the Criminal Code for a crime described as sexual assault with influence, commonly referred to as rape, which carries a potential penalty of 12 years. The prosecution has asked for a sentence of nine years for the accused, along with a compensation claim of 150,000 euros to be awarded to the victim. The individual in question has been detained since January 20 in connection with an alleged incident at a nightclub in central Barcelona on the night of December 30-31, 2022. The defense team has recently prepared their procedural strategy for this trial, which is scheduled for early 2024.
The Barcelona Court previously rejected multiple requests for the accused to be released on bail due to concerns about flight risk. The defense appealed this decision once more within the same court, but the court reaffirmed the risk of flight and maintained the detention order. A separate issue concerns whether a mitigating factor related to compensation should influence the sentence, based on the victim receiving a deposit of 150,000 euros to cover potential damages. Judges have indicated that the court will decide on the relevance of this mitigating factor at the actual hearing, depending on arguments presented by the defense. Past negotiations between the parties did not yield an agreement that could avoid a trial.
Reserved Proceedings
The events span late December, culminating on December 30 when the defendant traveled to Barcelona. On that evening the accused called a friend and they dined together before attending Sutton nightclub on Tuset Street. They sat in a booth area known as Moet that included access to a camera-free suite and a connected bathroom. The alleged victim arrived at the venue with a cousin and a friend around 2:30 a.m. They proceeded to the main room and later entered the reserved area. The defendant invited them to join at a drink, though the invitation was not immediately accepted.
During several minutes of interaction in the venue, the accused allegedly engaged with the group. Prosecutors state that the individual displayed awareness of the victim’s presence, in some instances embracing and approaching her. At one point the defendant stood behind the victim, touched her hand, and drew it toward his own body, prompting the victim to withdraw when she perceived the intent. Shortly after, the defendant escorted the group toward a corridor leading to a private restroom area. The victim, noticing the activity in that space, asked to leave. The prosecution contends that the defendant pulled down the victim’s clothing and pulled her hair, causing her to fall, and attempted to perform oral sex. The victim resisted; there were reports of the accused slapping her, and, when the victim refused, the defendant allegedly carried her toward the restroom area and initiated further sexual contact. The account describes a sequence of coercive actions that the victim resisted at multiple stages.