One of the victims shared that he was eight years old when he began drum lessons under a respected professor in Girona. He described listening to a former student recount the case as a defendant speaking from behind a screen this Tuesday, revealing a history of abuse that stretched for ten years.
Following an extended break due to a lawyers’ strike, the case against the drum teacher from Quart in Girona advanced in court. The courtroom heard allegations of abuse against five students between 2009 and 2020, and today the Girona Court convened to address the matter. A large crowd gathered outside the courthouse to show support for the victims, and some attendees directed jeers at the defendant as he arrived.
The accused is a well-known musician in the Girona region, reputed to carry a certain prestige. Three former students testified in the third district court, describing the early days of the lessons and the environment in which they learned. The lessons took place in a classroom that also served as a garage, an area furnished with appliances, sofas, and pillows. The first day involved warm greetings and signs of affection that one student described as unusual yet initially flattering. Another young person testified that kissing was made to feel mandatory and that the defendant sought physical contact.
These early actions created a sense of being special for the students. They were told they could go further, and their admiration for the teacher helped build a bond of trust. One student recalled feeling a sense of security and sharing things with the teacher that he would not tell his own family. The defendant allegedly offered free lessons in exchange for massages, made sexual comments, and showed pornographic material during the sessions. One student described attending group classes where the teacher touched other students as well.
Over time, the defendant allegedly placed the victims on a pedestal and gradually escalated his approach. What began as kisses on the cheek, hugs, and back massages progressed to touching genitals, massage involving sexual content, and in some cases, oral sex. In certain circumstances he allegedly offered massages and claimed that these acts were normal. He is alleged to have justified his behavior by suggesting it was also practiced with older students and that the students should not resist due to the teacher’s standing in the music community. One victim explained that they felt unable to refuse because the person was highly respected and knew a great deal about music.
barrage of complaints
Another alleged victim, who reported abuse between 2006 and 2009, was aged between 18 and 22 at the time and decided to come forward after reporting the incident to Mossos d’Esquadra in 2019. In this case, most of the factual claims refer to a touching incident in November 2009 that formed the core of the criminal liability.
Around three years before deciding to speak up, the survivor began to reflect on what had happened. A message was sent to the defendant expressing how the events had affected her, and she says the abuse went unacknowledged by him. This pattern prompted other victims to reconsider their own experiences and to come forward. Another student sent a message criticizing the teacher’s behavior, reinforcing the broader sense of wrongdoing among the group.
Five victims managed to file formal accusations, but five additional potential cases could not proceed because the relevant events were considered time-barred. The public prosecutor and the special prosecutor have requested prison terms of 46 and 48 years, respectively, for multiple counts including continuous sexual abuse, sexual contact with minors, and exhibitionism with sexual provocation. They also seek compensation exceeding 148,000 euros. The defense has asked for forgiveness. A preliminary hearing is expected to determine whether to move forward with trial proceedings in this matter. The defendant is anticipated to give a statement at the next stage of the process.
[Citation: Coverage from Girona Court authorities and local press on the ongoing case against the drum teacher in Girona.]