A Spanish court has jailed former Brazil and Barcelona footballer Dani Alves to four years and six months in prison for sexual assault.
According to SkySport, the 40-year-old was found guilty of assaulting a woman on New Year’s Eve in 2022 at a nightclub in Barcelona.
The convicted party, who has been detained since their arrest in January 2023, is eligible to file an appeal against their sentence.
In a statement released on Thursday, February 22, the Audiencia de Barcelona stated: “Football player Dani Alves has been sentenced by the Court of Barcelona to four years and six months in prison for sexual assault.”
In addition, 150,000 euros must be given to the victim, and their legal fees must be covered.
The victim’s testimony and further evidence supporting the offence are taken into account in the punishment, as it has been established that the victim did not agree.
State prosecutors were informed by the victim that she had danced with Alves and had voluntarily gone into the nightclub restroom, but that he had later refused to let her leave.
She said that he had sexually assaulted her, intimidated her, and coerced her into having sex against her will.
While in detention, Alves changed his defense during the investigation process. He initially denied having any sex with her before acknowledging that he had consensually engaged in sex.
He claimed that by first refusing to acknowledge the meeting, he was attempting to preserve his marriage.