Dani Alves insists he’s ‘not a violent man’ amid sexual assault trial

Brazilian soccer star Dani Alves denied accusations that he sexually assaulted a younger lady at a Barcelona nightclub, claiming she ‘by no means instructed me to cease’ and that he is ‘not that type of man.’

After two days of listening to testimony from the alleged sufferer, witnesses, and specialists, Alves instructed a Spanish courtroom that their encounter had been consensual. 

His accuser testified that Alves, who received dozens of titles and performed for among the world’s greatest soccer golf equipment throughout an illustrious profession, raped her in a toilet of an upscale nightclub early within the morning of December 31, 2022.

‘I’m not that sort of man; I’m not a violent man,’ Alves stated in response to his defence lawyer if he had pressured her to have sexual relations.

The alleged sufferer instructed state prosecutors that she danced with Alves and willingly entered the toilet, however that later when she needed to depart he wouldn’t let her. 

She stated he slapped her, insulted her and compelled her to have sexual relations towards her will.

‘She by no means instructed me to cease. We have been each having fun with ourselves,’ Alves stated, whereas repeating that the girl by no means requested to depart or made any indication that she didn’t need to have sexual relations with him. 

He additionally denied having slapped or insulted her.

State prosecutors are looking for a nine-year jail sentence for Alves if convicted whereas the legal professionals representing his accuser need 12 years. 

His defence requested for an acquittal, or if discovered responsible a one-year sentence plus 50,000 euros (£42,000) compensation for the sufferer.

The three-day trial concluded Wednesday. A verdict usually takes weeks to be delivered.

The 40-year-old Alves was escorted in handcuffs into the small courtroom sporting a long-sleeve white sweater, darkish trousers and glasses. 

His mom was current outdoors, as she has been your complete trial. His ex-wife, who separated from Alves following his arrest, was solely there Tuesday when she testified that he had arrived house ‘smelling of alcohol’ after the alleged assault.

Alves’ accuser in the meantime testified on Monday behind closed doorways on order of the courtroom. State prosecutors requested for the courtroom to take additional measures to guard her id after a video circulated on social media final month that allegedly recognized the girl.

A pal and cousin of the alleged sufferer who went dancing together with her that night time instructed the three-judge panel that after she exited the toilet she was distraught and instructed them Alves ‘harm her badly.’

Police officers who attended to the alleged sufferer testified she was enormously shaken and instructed them she had been sexually assaulted by Alves. 

The officers stated Tuesday she needed to overcome her fears that ‘no person would consider her’ earlier than she formally accused Alves. 

One officer stated the girl instructed him ‘I do not need cash, I would like justice.’

Alves’ pal who was with him on the nightclub testified that Alves and the girl confirmed ‘chemistry’ earlier than going into the toilet and that he hadn’t observed something incorrect with the girl afterward. 

The pal added that the footballer drank wine and whiskey earlier than going to the nightclub.

Alves’ defence requested the courtroom that his drunken state be thought of an extenuating issue for a diminished sentence if he’s discovered responsible.

A forensic psychologist who examined the girl testified Wednesday that she was affected by ‘post-traumatic’ signs, a conclusion that was disputed by an out of doors knowledgeable referred to as by the defence.

The state prosecutor concluded her arguments by saying ‘we perceive that (the accuser’s) model is totally plausible.’

This is the primary high-profile intercourse crime trial since Spain overhauled its laws in 2022 to make consent, or the dearth thereof, central to defining a intercourse crime in response to an upswell of protests after a gang-rape case throughout the San Fermin bull-running competition in Pamplona in 2016. 

The laws popularly often called the ‘solely sure means sure’ legislation defines consent as an express expression of an individual’s will, making it clear that silence or passivity don’t equal consent.

Alves’ defence lawyer, Inés Guardiola, primarily based her closing argument on video proof from the nightclub’s safety cameras that she stated confirmed how the girl danced ‘with sexualised actions’ that ‘confirmed her curiosity’ earlier than the alleged assault.

Ester García, the girl’s lawyer, stated in her closing argument that the brand new legislation made her consumer’s lack of consent as soon as inside the toilet key to the case, in addition to making irrelevant how her consumer might have danced with Alves beforehand.

‘I do not care (how she was dancing), when she stated `no’, that meant `no.’ That is why the legislation was modified,’ García stated. 

‘The debate is now not whether or not the sufferer put up resistance.’

Alves has been in pre-trial jail since being detained on January 20, 2023. His requests for bail have been denied as a result of the courtroom thought of him a flight threat. 

Brazil doesn’t extradite its personal residents when they’re sentenced in different international locations.

He modified his defence throughout the investigative part whereas in custody, first denying any sexual contact together with her earlier than admitting to sexual relations that he stated have been consensual. 

He stated he had been making an attempt to save lots of his marriage by not admitting to the encounter initially.

Alves was ordered earlier than the trial to put aside 150,000 euros if he’s discovered responsible and ordered to pay damages.

Alves received dozens of titles with elite golf equipment together with Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. 

He additionally helped Brazil win two Copa Americas and an Olympic gold medal at age 38. He performed at his third World Cup, the one main title he isn’t received, in 2022. 

Alves performed for Barcelona from 2008-16 and briefly rejoined the membership in 2022. He nonetheless has a residence close to town.

Mexican membership Pumas terminated his contract instantly after his arrest.