No jail time for the gang rape of a tourist in Benidorm
The five French men reached a deal with the Alicante court to avoid prison sentences
In yet another case that highlights the shortcomings of the Spanish justice system, five young French men have been sentenced by an Alicante court for the sexual abuse of a Norwegian tourist in a holiday apartment in Benidorm five years ago. But despite pleading guilty, none of them will have to serve any prison time.
The incident occurred on August 6, 2019, when the five suspects, aged between 18 and 19 at the time, reportedly attempted to gang rape and sexually abuse a Norwegian woman and her friend after they had been drinking heavily.
The five defendants were arrested by the Guardia Civil at the time and were subsequently charged with sexual abuse and assault. They have now been sentenced to prison terms ranging from six months to two years, suspended pending good behaviour. The court has also ordered them to pay compensation to the victims, totalling 38,000 euros.
According to the prosecution, one of the defendants met the Norwegian woman on a social networking platform and invited her and her friend to their holiday apartment. Once there, the group consumed a large amount of alcohol, and one of the defendants took advantage of the victim's intoxicated state to engage in sexual relations with her without her consent. The other defendants then attempted to sexually assault the second victim, but she managed to escape.
The court heard testimony from the victims via video conference, who recounted the terrifying ordeal they endured. The defendants eventually pleaded guilty to the charges, following an agreement reached between their defence lawyers and the prosecution. As part of the agreement, the defendants paid 18,000 euros in bail to secure their release from prison.
The court applied mitigating factors such as undue delay, their confession and reparation of damage to reduce the sentences. However, the private prosecution representing one of the victims has appealed the sentence, seeking harsher punishment for the perpetrators.
This harrowing case has sparked outrage over the leniency of the punishment and comes just days after three holidaymakers, also French, struck another deal to avoid jail time after admitting to assaulting a British tourist who was on vacation in Ibiza in June 2016.
Image: Pexels
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