Supreme Court Confirms Long Prison Term for Teacher over Sexual Abuse of Four Students
In a decisive ruling, the Supreme Court affirmed the Barcelona Supreme Court sentence of twenty-one years and nine months in prison for Joaquín Benítez, a former physical education teacher at Sans-Les Corts Marist College in Barcelona. The conviction centers on the sexual abuse of four students who were minors at the time of the offenses. This final affirmation by the highest court strengthens the state of the case and narrows the scope for future delays by Catalan judicial authorities.
Following a brief adjournment before the summer, the same presiding judge reassembled with the panel on 5 October, alongside other members of the court, to review related matters originally assigned to the Second Section president Manuel Marchena, and judges Juan Ramón Berdugo, Vicente Magro, Andrés Palomo, and Eduardo de Porres. The ruling upholds the abuse charges against Benítez as previously determined, now entering a conclusive phase that reduces the likelihood of further postponement by the Catalan courts regarding the prison term.
Benítez faced indictments from twenty parties seeking legal redress, though only four cases pertain to offenses not deemed prescribed by law at the time of the proceedings. The remaining sixteen complaints against other Marist teachers, most of them religious brothers, were declared prescribed, preventing prosecutions for those specific allegations.
Although Benítez received the stiffest sentence ever imposed on a teacher for sexual abuse in April 2019, subsequent court actions had led to limited enforcement. With the Supreme Court’s recent decision, the Barcelona Court must reevaluate petitions urging that the charges proceed to imprisonment without further delay.
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The Supreme Court fully rejected two appeals: one from Benítez and another filed by the school’s insurer, which sought to challenge the direct legal liability for compensation to the victims in the amount of 120,000 euros. The educational foundation that operates the center was found legally liable as well, although only in a secondary capacity, meaning liability could still fall on the professor and the insurer if appropriate.
The Barcelona Court’s verdict, now sustained by the high court, convicts the Sans-Les Corts Marist College physical education teacher of sexual abuse against four underage students across the school years 2006-2007 to 2008-2009. Testimonies from the minor victims, corroborated by other evidentiary elements, provided a robust basis for the conviction. The court also deemed the offenses to be ongoing in nature, a determination that guided the adjustment of penalties in light of the offender’s conduct.
The Criminal Division concluded that the school’s insurer should respond with direct civil liability. It rejected arguments that the contractual insurance coverage would shield the insurer from responsibility, clarifying that the exemption applies solely to the internal relationship between the insurer and the insured and not to the injured minors. The decision thus aligns with the principle that victims deserve compensation when a credible link exists between the insured wrongdoing and the harm suffered, independent of the insurance contract’s terms.
Overall, the court reaffirmed the gravity of the offenses committed against four young students and confirmed that the appropriate course was to maintain a prison sentence that reflects the sustained pattern of abuse over multiple academic years. The ruling reinforces the accountability of institutions and insurers in safeguarding students and ensuring that victims receive due remedy for their harm. The case stands as a significant legal milestone in cases of school-based sexual abuse, illustrating how appellate processes uphold the rights of victims and the responsibilities of educational organizations. [Source: Supreme Court decision, official court records].