Former Barcelona star faces 12 years in jail for ‘nightclub toilet rape’
The 40-year-old Brazilian defender has been held on remand for over a year at Brians 2 Prison near Barcelona.
State prosecutors are seeking a nine-year jail term if he is found guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub on December 30, 2022.
Alves has admitted to having sex with a woman in the nightclub’s toilet but maintains that it was consensual.
His lawyer argues for his client to face the maximum 12-year prison sentence if convicted.
Additionally, both prosecutors are seeking a compensation payment of £128,000.
The trial is set to begin at 10 am local time at Barcelona’s Audiencia Provincial Court and is expected to last for three days.
The case will be heard by three judges, without a jury, as is customary in Spain for sex crime cases.
Once the trial concludes, the judges will have approximately two weeks to deliver their verdict, which will be announced in a written ruling.
This high-profile case has garnered significant attention, as Alves was a well-known footballer during his time at Barcelona.
His appearance in court has sparked debate and speculation among fans and the media.
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