Calm, collected, and at times almost smiling, Julio César S., 35, sat in the dock at Murcia Provincial Court this Wednesday. He is the defendant accused of assaulting his girlfriend and then detaining her in a brutal assault with her injured body left on the bed at his home. The prosecution is seeking a prison term of nineteen years for illegal detention, serious injuries, and coercion. He had just arrived from custody and was guarded in the courtroom by uniformed officers from the National Police.
“I trampled her head,” the victim testified via videoconference from another city, since she no longer resides in Murcia. The trial began on this Wednesday, even though two witnesses were initially missing. The prosecution resisted moving forward without them, while the defense asked that one witness, who claimed to be in a training program, testify by video. In the end, the proceedings began with the complainant giving her account first. The two witnesses who were expected—her father and a flatmate who shared the couple’s home—also spoke, and both described the violence she endured at the hands of Julio César.
He would seize her phone
According to the provisional charge filed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, during the relationship the defendant, intent on shattering his partner’s freedom, maintained a controlling stance. He monitored her movements, her outings, and the people she spent time with, and on several occasions he took away her mobile phone to prevent contact with anyone other than himself.
The victim’s testimony reinforced this account, describing how he would choke her, forbid her from leaving, and even seize her phone to leave her cut off from communication.
Among the central claims the Public Prosecutor’s Office is pursuing, the victim’s guard and isolation are emphasized as part of the coercive pattern that characterizes this case.
He requests to speak last
It is worth noting that after the initial medical attention, the woman required surgery not only to treat injuries but also to address severe damage. Hospital treatment led to the removal of her spleen and part of her pancreas. The prosecution is seeking a total of nineteen years in prison for the defendant for illegal detention, serious injuries, and coercion. In addition, it is sought that he compensate his victim with a sum of one hundred eighty-three thousand and forty-four euros for the injuries sustained.
Although defendants typically speak first in court, the defense asked that Julio César be allowed to address the court last. The judge granted this request, meaning the defendant is expected to testify during the proceedings on Thursday.
In this case, the court has heard from the victim, who testified remotely, and from the two witnesses who corroborated the violence. The proceedings will continue as the defense prepares its strategy and the judge manages the rules of evidence and the sequence of statements. This case highlights the ongoing concerns about intimate partner violence, coercive control, and the long-term consequences for victims, including medical and psychological impacts. [Source: Fiscalía (Public Prosecutor’s Office) – Attribution for factual context]