News
Donkey regulations
Another gang escapes
rape charges
There have been calls for the law to be
changed following another case in
which a gang of men were acquitted of
rape. A court in Barcelona last month
cleared the five suspects of sexual
assault charges after hearing the victim,
a 14-year-old girl, did not fight back.
The 69 donkeys which offer tourists
rides around the historic centre of Mijas
will soon breath a collective sigh of
relief when new regulations come into
force prohibiting their use by anyone
weighing more than 80 kilos (about 12.5
stones). The change expected in the New
Year brings the town into line with
European animal protection legislation.
Donkeys will also work only one shift
each a day, with a mandatory rest
period between 2.00 and 5.00pm.
Climate change
The United Nations climate conference,
COP25, is scheduled to begin in Madrid
on December 2, after being relocated
from Chile where mass demonstrations,
arson and vandalism forced the country
to withdraw as hosts. The Swedish
teenage activist Greta Thunberg is
expected to attend after being stranded
in Los Angeles following the change of
venue. The 11-day event will be based at
the Feria de Madrid under the
Presidency of Chile.
Airline sold
Air Europa has been sold for €1,000
million to IAG, the group which already
includes Iberia and British Airways. The
Mallorca based operator is the third-
largest Spanish airline after Iberia and
Vueling, and flies to 69 destinations
worldwide. IAG boss Willie Walsh said
that Air Europa would be a “strong
strategic fit for the group.”
The attack happened at a party in
Manresa, northwest of Barcelona, in
2016. The court was told that the group
was partying in an abandoned factory,
during which the victim consumed
alcohol and drugs and then fell
unconscious.
According to a statement published on
the court’s website, the men took turns
performing sex acts on the teenager. It
described the attack as, “extremely
intense and especially denigrating,”
adding that, “it was produced on a
minor who was in a helpless situation.”
This, the court added, “enabled the
defendants to perform sexual acts
without using any type of violence or
intimidation.”
Under Spanish law, a sexual attack can
only be classified as an assault or rape
if the perpetrator uses such force.
Because their victim was unconscious,
the five were convicted of a lesser
charge of sexual abuse and were
sentenced to 10 to 12 years in prison,
despite the prosecution arguing they
should be charged with assault. The girl
was awarded €12,000 compensation.
Last month’s ruling sparked days of
protests by women activists, while
Barcelona prosecutor’s office has
appealed the sentence; it wants the
men instead to be charged with rape,
which carries prison sentences of 15 to
20 years.
In June, after a year of public
demonstrations, a gang nicknamed the
Wolf Pack had their conviction
reviewed by Spain’s Supreme Court. In
a similar case, they were originally
convicted of abuse, but have now had
this increased to rape and are serving
15 years in prison.
Last month’s court judgement has
renewed pressure on the government
to reform the law and specify that any
sexual act without consent is an assault.
A member of the Spanish Association
of Women Judges, Lucia Avilés,
commented that the issue has not yet
been addressed, despite the fact that
Spain has signed and ratified the
Istanbul Convention on Violence
Against Women, which stipulates that
sex without consent is rape.
Major anti-drugs raids
in Nerja
Tesco opens Nerja was at the centre of a major
police operation against drugs
trafficking on November 12 as around
50 officers raided properties and
detained seven suspects in the town
centre. Five men and two women were
taken for questioning, with police
confirming that further arrests were
possible. At least a dozen homes, garages and
commercial premises are reported to
have been raided throughout the
municipality, with some then sealed by
a court order from Torrox. Reports say
drugs including cocaine and marijuana
were seized, along with cash, precision
scales and other devices for preparing
the substances for sale.
UK supermarket chain Tesco opened its
first branch on the Spanish mainland
last month. The new outlet, branded as
“The Food Co,” is in the Murcia town of
Puerto de Mazarron which has a large
resident British community. Tesco plans
another store in Mijas soon, with others
on Ibiza, and in Madrid and Barcelona,
by 2021. Witnesses to the operation, which
began as dawn broke in the area of the
Balcón de Europa and Plaza de España,
were surprised to see about 50 armed
and masked officers on duty as they
arrived for work. A number of streets
were closed to traffic as the highly-
planned operation progressed. Further details of the operation and the
identities of those detained, plus any
charges they may face, have yet to be
released by police.
12
See Smalltalk
on page 20