Former Barcelona defender, Dani Alves, has been handed a verdict of guilt for sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub incident dating back to 2022.
Catalonia’s highest court delivered the judgment on Thursday, sentencing Alves to four and a half years behind bars.
The court also ruled that Alves must pay €150,000 in compensation to the victim, emphasizing that the evidence presented, including the victim’s testimony, supported the conclusion that the encounter was non-consensual.
“The sentence considers that it has been proven that the victim did not consent and that there is evidence, in addition to the testimony of the plaintiff, to consider the rape proven,” stated the court in a released statement.
Alves, however, maintains that the sexual encounter was consensual, a claim contradicted by the court’s findings. Despite the verdict, his legal team has indicated their intention to appeal the sentence.
The incident leading to Alves’ conviction occurred in the early hours of December 31, 2022, with the former footballer subsequently arrested in January 2023.
The ensuing legal proceedings have now culminated in a definitive judgment against the 40-year-old sports icon.
