Former Barcelona star sentenced for rape — RT World News
Dani Alves will spend more than four years in prison for assaulting a woman in a Spanish nightclub
On Thursday, a Spanish court sentenced retired Brazilian footballer Dani Alves to four and a half years in prison, after convicting him of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in 2022.
The Catalan Supreme Court found the 40-year-old former Barcelona player guilty of the attack, which took place in the bathroom of an upscale nightclub in the city. The court also ordered Alves to pay 150,000 euros ($163,000) in compensation to the victim.
“The ruling considers that it has been proven that the victim did not consent, and that there is evidence, in addition to the plaintiff’s testimony, to consider rape proven.” The court said in a statement.
Alves's 23-year-old accuser, who maintained anonymity throughout the trial, said the former footballer violently forced her to perform sexual acts in a private bathroom at the Sutton nightclub in central Barcelona.
His refusal to release her, despite her pleading with him to do so, worsened her condition “Horror and horror” Prosecutors said during the three-day trial.
The police who attended the scene of the attack told the court that the victim was in a state “shock” And she showed great concern when she said that “No one will believe her” If you go to the authorities.
Alves stated in his defense that he considered the meeting consensual. “I'm not that kind of man, I'm not violent.” He told the court. “If she wanted to leave, she could have left. She didn't have to be there.”
He had initially denied any interaction with his accuser, before later stating that he had met her in the bathroom of the nightclub but that no sexual encounter had occurred. He then changed his story again, saying the couple had consensual sex and it was “We're both enjoying ourselves.”
The footballer has been detained since his arrest in January 2023. His bail requests were repeatedly rejected by the court, which deemed him a flight risk due to his large wealth. Brazil does not extradite its citizens if they are found guilty of crimes in other countries.
Alves, who won 42 trophies during his illustrious career, is considered among the best defenders in football history. His most successful period with Barcelona was between 2008 and 2016, where he won 23 titles alongside teammates including Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta.
At the time of his arrest, Alves was representing the Mexican team Pumas UNAM. He was sacked by the club shortly afterwards.
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