A judo instructor in Oviedo, accused of sexually assaulting three students aged around sixteen during the first months of 2023, is to appear in the dock this month. At the time, the defendant was 39 years old, and the prosecution has requested a sentence of 16 years and four months in prison, to be decided at the trial scheduled for the 26th in the second chamber of the Provincial Court.
According to the indictment filed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office a year earlier, the accused took advantage of his position as a trainer of underage athletes to create a bond with the girls that was closer and different from the one with other students. That increased trust extended to social media, as he added them to a WhatsApp group to organize recreational activities beyond the strictly sports context, such as cycling routes or beach trips.
Once that bond existed, the man, known for offering extracurricular classes at several centers in Oviedo, began steering conversations with the three girls toward sexual topics that were completely inappropriate and unrelated to education or pedagogy. In this atmosphere of relaxed trust and camaraderie, he exploited his age advantage and the girls’ vulnerability, in addition to directing sexual expressions and giving affectionate gestures, such as kisses and hugs, beyond socially acceptable limits.
The man used his van to carry out the trips with the students himself arranged. In early January 2023, he took the girls from Oviedo to Gijón. During the journey, and according to the indictment, with libidinous intent, he touched one of the students and, on the way back, he took two of them to his home and showed them sexual objects and engaged in inappropriate conduct.
The situation repeated days later with another teenager, whom he took to his home using judo as a pretext, and a few days after that, after giving classes at a school in Carbayón, he again behaved in the same manner. Prosecutors contend that he used the training sessions with the three minors to satisfy his sexual impulses.
The mothers of two of the minors filed complaints on March 15 and 17, 2023, respectively. The father of the third reported the events on March 16, 2023. The Public Prosecutor’s Office considers the events to constitute continuous sexual assault offenses against minors under 16, with an abuse of a position of superiority. The prosecution seeks six years of prison for the abuse against one of the girls and five years and two months for each of the other two, in addition to 31,000 euros in compensation for the damages caused.
Legal observers note that when a case involves someone in a trusted role who exploits a bond with minors, the court tends to apply stricter penalties if the charges are proven. In such contexts, the severity of the harm to young people is a key consideration.
As the proceedings unfold, Oviedo’s judo and youth programs face scrutiny and a push to strengthen safeguards for participants. Communities connected to sport and mentoring watch closely, hoping for accountability and clear signals that safeguarding minors remains a priority.
The timing of the trial and any defense arguments will shape the final result, and authorities remind the public that the process will run with thorough procedural standards. The case underscores the ongoing need to protect young athletes and ensure those who oversee them are held to high ethical and legal standards.