A Salesian priest, Segundo Cousido Vieites, faced scrutiny after a long history of alleged abuse and a high-profile court process. The information about his potential surrender to prison, suggested by his lawyer, emerged amid reports from nearby legal sources and intense media coverage connected to a case involving sexual abuse of minors. The allegations center on an educator who led a camp at Castrelo in Cambados and who also directed a religious community’s pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in 2019.
The last decision approved by the High Court of Justice in May of the previous year noted that the priest avoided immediate imprisonment to serve a 32.5-year sentence handed down in 2021 by the Fourth Chamber of the Pontevedra Court. The court’s ruling reflected a strategic use of the recently revised legal framework, aiming to challenge the penalty while seeking a reduced sentence. The jurisdiction in Galicia (TSXG) highlighted how procedural gaps in the so-called Yes-Yes Law could influence outcomes in this case.
emergency search warrant
Concerns briefly subsided when Cousido reportedly escaped an immediate prison order on February 23, after receiving the first three days of his sentence to serve, nearly ten months after the sentence became final. The case involved six counts of sexual abuse against minors. Reports indicate the fugitive had previously spent only nine months in a makeshift prison before a 2021 Pontevedra trial.
Sources familiar with the matter suggest that religious status may have played a role in his perceived treatment, potentially aiding a bail release if a medical report indicating a serious condition was produced. A supposed respiratory illness described as asthma-like could have been cited to argue heightened vulnerability to an epidemic within the prison population.
prone to serious illness
At trial, the defense maintained a conditional release stance, even though Cousido’s passport had been withdrawn, restricting travel within the country or abroad. When officials did not move to incarcerate him that week, security forces were alerted to pursue the fugitive through an indictment issued this week. Escape is not the only possible scenario; investigators continued to pursue the case after learning of the court’s immediate arrest warrant.
News coverage notes that the investigation extended beyond an escape narrative, with prosecutors examining whether new information could affect the case against the priest of Cambados.
Fear for his integrity
Lawyer Luis Lawrence Raven, representing the religious community linked to Cousido, commented on the situation. He described the disappearance as a shock and conveyed concern for the priest’s welfare. “It was a big surprise. I learned about it through the press this morning,” Raven said in a brief phone conversation. “I hope this is not due to any serious personal decision. It affects me and the community,” he added. Journalists report a general sense of unease within the local religious circle about the possible implications for those affected by the case.
Sources close to the matter acknowledge a climate of fear regarding what might happen next to the Cambados priest, though they did not provide further details.
Historical records show the convictions dated to 2019 when a caretaker at night reported that several young campers were touched inappropriately during a school camp tied to a Compostela pilgrimage. A separate adolescent witness also reported a troubling incident, as noted in the trial’s findings a year later.
Report of the facts
The initial complaint was filed at the Cambados Court where investigations began, with investigators interviewing the accused and the victims. Early statements conveyed shock at the violation of a trusted figure, followed by a narrative that the consequences extended beyond a single student-teacher dynamic. The court later summarized it as a breach of professional authority, describing the relationships as more intimate than appropriate for a religious instructor.
The facts were deemed gravely serious, with the legal record emphasizing the abuse of a position of trust and the exploitation of pupils during the night hours and in secluded settings, constituting acts of a clearly sexual nature. During the Pontevedra hearing, the defense suggested mistakes in the minors’ identities or that someone else could have committed the acts, but this did not exonerate the priest.
lewd acts with minors
Proved evidence indicated the priest touched the genitals of minors, often through clothing, and in some cases directly. The court maintained that these actions were concealed and often occurred at night, reflecting an attitude that exploited the vulnerability of minors for sexual purposes. The sustained judgment by the Galician high court underscored the gravity of the offenses.
During the Pontevedra proceedings, the defense argued that others might be responsible or that misidentifications occurred. The court did not accept these arguments as a reason to absolve the priest.
TSXG denial of a sentence reduction under the Yes-Yes law
One of the priest’s last avenues to delay imprisonment involved seeking a sentence reduction under the Organic Law on the Comprehensive Guarantee of Sexual Freedom, commonly referred to as the Yes-Yes Law. A local lawyer involved with the Galicia Foundation and allied groups indicated surprise at the defense’s stance and the court’s decision to delay imprisonment. The defense noted that the priest had already been convicted of a sexual abuse crime, which does not automatically trigger a reduction based on the law. The original 32.5-year sentence, adjudicated for multiple episodes of continuous abuse, would, under the law, typically translate to a shorter actual period served, but the court’s interpretation maintained a stricter approach to the sentence. The absence of imprisonment would complicate eligibility for certain prison benefits, with potential recovery only after a quarter of the sentence has been served.