A case from Mallorca centers on a woman who received a one-year prison sentence after spying on her girlfriend. She installed a program on her partner’s computer to access all files and private conversations without permission, effectively watching over every movement and message involving other people. The court ordered her to pay compensation amounting to 10,000 euros to the former partner and an additional 4,000 euros to a friend whose messages were accessed. After reaching an agreement between the prosecution and the private charges, the defendant’s lawyer presented his client as a writer, reflecting the shift from strict prosecution to a negotiated settlement. The criminal act was described as the crime of discovery and disclosure of secrets, and the events unfolded on the island of Mallorca.
Throughout the trial, the defense explained that the accused had allowed her partner to use a shared computer and, without the partner’s direct knowledge, had relied on a software tool to monitor files remotely. She had synchronized access with her own email account, enabling oversight of her partner’s online activity, including social networks and chats with others. This level of surveillance extended to intimate and personal exchanges that touched on the private life of the victim, including sensitive information about relationships, beliefs, and personal ideologies.
In September 2019, authorities say the defendant used the monitoring system to create the impression that an unidentified person had sent a document containing months of conversations with a friend on WhatsApp and another on Instagram. The case highlighted how private details of the victim’s life were exposed and used without consent. The victim reported the conduct, and investigators traced the unauthorized access to the defendant. Initially, prosecutors sought a four-year term and 6,000 euros in compensation for both the ex-wife and the friend who had been affected. Before the hearing, the parties reached a conformity agreement. The defendant accepted a one-year suspended sentence and agreed to compensate 10,000 euros to the ex-wife and 4,000 euros to the other injured party, along with a restraining order to prevent further contact or intrusion into the victim’s life. The ruling illustrates how digital intrusions can carry serious legal consequences, even when resolved through an agreement outside a full trial, and it underscores the evolving legal standards around privacy in the digital age.