Relationship of trust
In this case, the defendant was 25 years old when the court found that he exploited the family relationship he had with the girls and their mother. He acted while entrusted with their care, using the trust placed in him to commit the offenses against the two minors, who were left in his supervision during certain occasions.
The court details that the accused took photographs of his cousin who was between 4 and 5 years old, capturing her nude imagery and intimate parts. These images were later disseminated on the internet via a pedophile site. Investigators identified a sequence of the photographs in March 2017, which led to locating the author and opening proceedings. In October 2018, a judicial order authorized a search of the defendant’s home in Petrer.
During the search, authorities recovered multiple mobile phones used to take the photos. The inquiry also confirmed that the defendant had sexually assaulted the sister of the first victim when she was between 8 and 9 years old.
The court sentenced the defendant to five years for the child pornography distribution offense against a minor under 13, after applying an undue delays mitigating factor. An additional four-year term was added for the sexual abuse of the second victim.
Moreover, the ruling imposes a supervised liberty period of six years and a restraint order prohibiting contact within 500 meters of the two minors for ten years. The defendant is also ordered to compensate the victims with 10,000 euros for the first victim and 5,000 euros for her sister. The sentence is subject to appeal to the High Court of Justice within ten days.