A 37-year-old Madrid secondary-school teacher has been remanded in prison over alleged sexual assaults involving nine minors aged 12 to 15. Police say some assaults were recorded and expect the number of victims to rise.
Police say some of the alleged assaults were recorded. During a search of the teacher’s home, officers seized electronic equipment, including mobile phones and laptops. They also took storage devices. The 37-year-old is accused of offences involving nine minors aged between 12 and 15. Investigators are examining the devices as they continue to check for possible additional victims.
A judge ordered his remand in prison without bail on 16 October, after he spent about 48 hours in police custody. The National Police said he had been arrested on 13 October. The pre-trial detention order came while the investigation was ongoing. It is not a conviction.
The National Police attribute six alleged sexual-assault offences to him, involving different victims. Three are continued offences involving sexual assault with penetration against people under 16. The other three are sexual-assault offences against minors. The alleged charges also include offences related to child prostitution and child pornography. Police additionally cite «ciberengaño pederasta», referring to the alleged online grooming of minors. EFE reported that some of the alleged assaults were recorded.
The case came to light after students spoke to their current teachers about the alleged conduct. Madrid’s Unidad de Familia y Atención a la Mujer (UFAM), the National Police unit specializing in cases involving women and children, took over the investigation. The teacher was no longer working at the school when the allegations came to police attention. Investigators have identified nine victims and taken their statements. They are also checking whether other minors may have been affected. EFE reported that sources close to the investigation believed the number of victims could exceed ten.
The alleged assaults are said to have taken place both in and outside the school setting. The teacher had previously worked at a religious secondary school in central Madrid. Sources close to the inquiry also told EFE that he had a prior record connected with a similar incident years earlier.
In a separate Madrid education story, Complutense strike clashes were the subject of a police review after five people were detained.
Police seized numerous electronic devices at the teacher’s home, including mobile phones and laptops. They also took storage media. The arrest took place on Tuesday, 13 October. After about two days in custody, he appeared before a judge, who ordered his remand in prison without bail on 16 October.
