Barcelona player Dani Alves found not guilty of rape accusations.
The Court of Appeal in Catalonia has reversed the original conviction, pointing to discrepancies in the testimony of the complainant.
The Court of Appeal in Catalonia has exonerated Barcelona footballer Danny Alves from rape allegations, reversing a prior conviction that sentenced him to four and a half years in prison.
The panel of judges, made up of three women and one man, determined that the testimony of the complainant was 'insufficient for a conviction' and that 'the principle of presumed innocence should take precedence' in this situation.
This ruling invalidates the earlier decision made by the Barcelona court, which had accepted the complainant's claim that Alves had engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with her in a private room at a nightclub on December 30, 2022. Alves, who spent over a year in detention before being released on a bail set at one million euros, is now permitted to leave Spain.
The Court of Appeal criticized the original verdict, highlighting 'inconsistencies and contradictions' in the complainant's narrative.
According to the judges, security footage from the nightclub indicated 'prior consent' for the two to enter the bathroom together, casting doubt on the subsequent events without corroborating evidence.
However, the initial ruling contended that these inconsistencies did not compromise the credibility of the testimony.
The Court of Appeal dismissed this assertion, stating that if the initial part of the testimony is inconsistent with reality, it also calls into question the reliability of the remainder of the account.
The panel of judges, made up of three women and one man, determined that the testimony of the complainant was 'insufficient for a conviction' and that 'the principle of presumed innocence should take precedence' in this situation.
This ruling invalidates the earlier decision made by the Barcelona court, which had accepted the complainant's claim that Alves had engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with her in a private room at a nightclub on December 30, 2022. Alves, who spent over a year in detention before being released on a bail set at one million euros, is now permitted to leave Spain.
The Court of Appeal criticized the original verdict, highlighting 'inconsistencies and contradictions' in the complainant's narrative.
According to the judges, security footage from the nightclub indicated 'prior consent' for the two to enter the bathroom together, casting doubt on the subsequent events without corroborating evidence.
However, the initial ruling contended that these inconsistencies did not compromise the credibility of the testimony.
The Court of Appeal dismissed this assertion, stating that if the initial part of the testimony is inconsistent with reality, it also calls into question the reliability of the remainder of the account.
