The Villarreal family of a minor faced immense distress when harassment and threats escalated via WhatsApp, culminating in the tragic suicide of the young person six years ago. The case involves a Moncofa resident, Vicente Paradis, aged 62, who plans to appeal to the Community’s Supreme Court of Justice (TSJCV). A sentence handed down by the Castellón Provincial Court was reported by Mediterráneo, which found Paradis guilty of willful manslaughter and sentenced him to ten years in prison. The appeal center rests on the judge’s decision to strike down an aggravating circumstance recognized by the popular jury in July, effectively reducing the overall penalty. The special prosecutor’s office had sought a 15-year term.
The family’s legal team disagrees with the ruling, insisting there was abuse of supremacy that should be considered within the crime itself. They argue the act itself reflects the abuse of authority over a minor, a point emphasized by the law firm led by attorney Juan Serrano.
According to the court’s reasoning, the judge stated that the aggravating factor of supremacy could not be applied twice to the same conduct, since it would violate the principle of ne bis in idem. In other words, evaluating the same condition twice to worsen the same behavior is prohibited. This interpretation leaves the Provincial Court’s decision as the final ruling unless an appeal is successful in higher courts. Both sides had signaled plans to challenge the verdict, with the defendant’s counsel indicating an appeal if convicted at trial.
Immediate jail sentence request
Meanwhile, the family is pressing for immediate custody of Paradis, arguing that the acts themselves carry a weight of guilt strong enough to warrant incarceration, even though another appeal remains possible before the TSJCV. Following the verdict, both the private prosecutor and the Public Prosecutor’s Office urged arrest, while Paradis’ attorney reported that the judge set bail at 4,000 euros and the family described that the appeal process would pursue higher court review. The defense later indicated plans to challenge the decision by seeking relief from the Supreme Court.
With the judge’s sentence now formally delivered, the next move could lead Paradis to enter custody, depending on how the term translates into actual time served, and any pending appeals across the judicial ladder.