Barcelona footballer Dani Alves gets convicted for sexual assault
Dani Alves, a legend at FC Barcelona, has been sentenced to four and a half years in a Spanish prison following a sexual assault conviction.
Footballing great Dani Alves, a legend at FC Barcelona, has been sentenced to four and a half years in a Spanish prison following a sexual assault conviction. The Barcelona court also ordered Alves to pay €150,000 (approximately R3m) in compensation to the victim and imposed a restraining order of nine and a half years. He will also face five years of probation upon release.
The court’s ruling found that the victim did not consent to sexual intercourse, concluding there was evidence to support the charges of rape against Alves. The assault took place in a bathroom within the VIP section of the Sutton nightclub during the early hours of 31 December 2022.
€150,000DETAINED FOLLOWING ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS
Arrested three weeks after the incident, Alves has remained in custody while facing the charge of “sexual assault with penetration”. Prosecutors had sought a nine-year sentence and an identical compensation amount, both of which were partially granted by the court.
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Initially, the former Brazil international, famed for his three Champions League titles with Barcelona, denied even knowing the victim. He later backtracked, admitting to a sexual encounter but claiming it had been entirely consensual.
ASSAULT VICTIM’S TESTIMONY PIVOTAL IN TRIAL
During a three-day trial last week, Alves denied the rape allegation while on the stand. “If she wanted to leave, she could have left, she was not obligated to be there,” the footballer told the court, insisting that the victim never asked to leave the bathroom.
The victim’s testimony, delivered behind a protective screen, was central to the prosecution’s case. Supporting witnesses included a friend of Alves, who stated that the player had consumed a significant amount of alcohol before entering the nightclub.
SWIFT VERDICT IN ASSAULT CASE
Alves’ sentence was handed down swiftly, just over a week after the trial concluded. Both parties reserve the right to appeal the ruling to the High Court of Justice of Catalonia, with a final verdict expected in the coming months.