Former Barcelona and Brazil star Dani Alves has at this time been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail for raping a lady at a Spanish nightclub.
The 40-year-old defender, who denied any wrongdoing, was accused by a 23-year-old lady of attacking her in a rest room at Barcelona’s upmarket movie star hang-out Sutton. Alves was additionally ordered to pay £128,000 in compensation to the sufferer and to cowl authorized prices.
Alves has been in pre-trial custody for greater than a yr since his arrest over the incident, on the night time of December 30, 2022, and went on trial three weeks in the past. State prosecutors stated they had been searching for a nine-year jail sentence if he was convicted, whereas attorneys representing his accuser stated they wished a 12-year time period. His defence requested for an acquittal, or if he was discovered responsible a one-year jail sentence plus £42,000 compensation for the girl, who can’t be named for authorized causes.
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In Spain, a declare of rape is investigated underneath the overall accusation of sexual assault and convictions usually result in jail phrases of between 4 and 15 years. The right-back, who final performed for Mexican aspect UNAM, maintained his innocence in the course of the trial, which came about in Barcelona from February 5 to February 7.
Alves took the stand to present proof on the final day, after 28 witnesses, together with his accuser and his mannequin spouse Joana Sanz, had beforehand testified. The Champions League winner, whose contract with UNAM was terminated final yr, first insisted there was no sexual contact between him and the girl.
But he later stated there was a sexual encounter, however that it was consensual. Alves stated he initially denied there was sexual contact in an effort to save lots of his marriage.
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In response to the allegation that he had compelled himself on the girl and raped her, he stated: “I am not that type of man; I am not a violent man.” The sufferer advised the court docket that she had danced with Alves and willingly entered a toilet with him, however stated when she later wished to depart, he wouldn’t let her.
The lady stated Alves slapped her, insulted her and compelled her into sexual relations towards her will. Alves, who stated the girl by no means requested him to depart or made any indication that she didn’t need to have sexual relations with him, denied slapping or insulting her. He stated: “She never told me to stop. We were both enjoying ourselves.”
Alves gained 126 caps for Brazil and in addition appeared for Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain throughout a glittering enjoying profession.