On Thursday, in Alicante, a suspect testified at the hearing, admitting the act while stating that he was not in full control of his faculties. He faced accusations of attempting to stab a 68-year-old man during a psychotic episode near Urbanova beach. Both the public prosecutor and the private accusation, as well as the defense attorney, asked for acquittal on grounds of complete mental illness, while requesting a long-term psychiatric commitment for the defendant: twelve and a half years from the prosecution and ten years from the defense, if granted. (Court records)
He told the tribunal that he has suffered from paranoid schizophrenia since childhood and that he did not take his medication when the incident occurred. He also said he had been under the influence, using cannabis and cocaine. He appeared remorseful and complied with the request for a psychiatric commitment, noting his willingness to undergo treatment. (Court records)
The events took place on May 30, 2023, when the defendant walked with a concealed knife through the dune area between Urbanova and Arenales del Sol. He demonstrated psychotic symptoms linked to an untreated mental illness and substance use. (Court records)
During a chance encounter with the victim, a 68-year-old man, the defendant asked for a light and questioned the man about his family background. The assailant then grabbed the victim with one hand and delivered knife blows to the neck and chest. When the victim fell, the attacker attempted to embed the blade in the victim’s forehead and pursued him as he tried to flee, aiming for blows to the back as well. (Court records)
In the section titled Intents, the defendant denied having intended to kill the victim and said that after the assault he went to a nearby restaurant in Urbanova and telephoned the police to confess having harmed someone with a knife. He claimed he did not recall a prior police detention three months earlier and denied any sexual encounter on the day of the attack. (Court records)
The assault victim, however, testified that about two hours before the attack he had crossed paths with the defendant and, after smiling, the two went their separate ways. The victim later described a prior sexual exchange in a derelict booth area. Soon afterward, the attacker asked for a light, and when the victim replied, the assailant suddenly pulled out the knife and stabbed him in the neck. The victim described multiple additional stabs and noted that the blade nearly reached the eye before breaking. He managed to push the assailant away and escape on foot, with the defendant briefly pursuing before escaping on a scooter as the victim sought help from bystanders. (Court records)
The victim required urgent medical care and spent 44 days recovering from the injuries, according to the prosecutor. He also explained that he has difficulty speaking because only one vocal cord remains due to the neck wound. (Court records)
Expert evaluations confirmed that the defendant was legally insane at the time of the incident, with his volitional and intellectual capacities impaired. He had previously told forensic professionals that he had assaulted someone unknown, but he could not explain the motive for the stabbing. (Court records)