SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 25 Oct (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Criminal Chamber of the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) has upheld a verdict issued by the Second Section of the Provincial Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, whereby a resident of the town of Güímar has been sentenced to 17 years and 8 months in prison for committing a crime of bodily harm and sexual assault.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, 15 October 2022, when the perpetrator entered the victim’s home, having met her through his partner. He assaulted her while she was asleep in bed, striking her forcefully on the head with a stone while hurling insults and threats to kill her.
The victim, stunned and disoriented from the blow, was then pinned down by the assailant, who knelt on her as he delivered numerous punches to her face while she pleaded with him to stop, fearing for her life. The ferocity of the attack was such that it caused the bed’s structure to collapse, breaking one of its legs and causing it to topple over.
Exploiting the victim’s state of shock and helplessness due to the extreme violence inflicted upon her, the assailant also sexually assaulted her. Consequently, the woman sustained multiple injuries, some of which necessitated surgical intervention.
On the Tuesday following the incident, the victim went out for breakfast, where she encountered Civil Guard officers in the vicinity and approached them for assistance. The officers, recognising the severity of her injuries and informed by her that she had been attacked and required help to return home and collect her belongings, encouraged her to report the assault.
On 8 May 2024, the aggressor was ultimately sentenced by the Provincial Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to almost 18 years in prison for the crimes of bodily harm and sexual assault, alongside the payment of various financial compensations, including €50,000 for the emotional distress endured by the victim.
The TSJC has affirmed the sentence, indicating that an appeal is permitted, which must be lodged within 5 days and formalised before the Second Chamber of the Supreme Court.
