In Alicante, a man has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Provincial Court for attempting to kill another person with a knife during a large fight that broke out at a rural home in La Alcoraya, where a party was taking place.
The Ten Court of the Alicante court that tried the case found him guilty of attempted murder. His older brother, who is five years his senior and had also been charged for the same events, was acquitted of the charges against him.
The incident occurred in the early hours of August 28, 2021. The ruling explains that the two defendants were hosting a party with about 50 attendees at the home of the younger accused. Around midnight, a second group arrived, including the injured party.
During the night, a dispute arose between the two groups that escalated into a physical confrontation. In the ensuing melee, the elder brother struck the injured party with a punch, which the victim managed to dodge.
Despite the dodge, the second defendant delivered a knife wound, inflicting a three centimeter laceration that required the victim to be transferred to the intensive care unit of the General Hospital of Alicante.
According to the court decision, the victim needed 80 days of recovery, 48 of which prevented him from engaging in his profession, with costs amounting to 20,371 euros for the Valencian Health Service.
Police investigators arrested the younger brother the following day. Nevertheless, the second defendant reported to the police shortly thereafter, claiming to be the author of the stabbing, and was subsequently detained.
Credibility
Nevertheless, the ruling concluded that the responsibility for the assault lay with the younger of the two accused, having given credibility to the testimony of the stabbing victim and a protected witness who witnessed the moment of the attack, in contrast to the accounts given by other participants in the fight that offered inconsistent versions.
Thus, the court imposed a five-year prison term on the younger defendant for attempted homicide, along with an order restraining him from approaching the injured party within 500 meters for eight years. In addition, supervised freedom for three more years was mandated, and the defendant was ordered to compensate the victim with 17,000 euros for damages, as well as reimburse the Valencian Health Service for medical costs incurred in treating the injuries.
The ruling remains subject to appeal before the Valencian Community High Court within ten days of notification.