A riding instructor from Arenys de Munt has admitted to sexually abusing nine minors over eight years. He will serve 29 years and 5 months in prison and pay €62,000 in compensation. The case exposes the dangers of unchecked authority in youth sports.
A riding instructor from Arenys de Munt has been sentenced to 29 years and 5 months in prison after admitting to sexually abusing nine minors between 2015 and 2023. The plea deal, reached just before his trial at the Audiencia de Barcelona, brings a rare conviction in a field where adults are often trusted without question.
The instructor used his position to gain daily access to children and teenagers at the riding school. He admitted to manipulating these relationships, sometimes pretending there was a romantic connection, to initiate sexual contact. The minors never consented. Several Spanish media outlets, including La Vanguardia and Capgros, reported that the agreement was finalized on September 15, 2026, with the defendant accepting full responsibility.
One of the most serious incidents occurred in a motorhome where the instructor lived, taking advantage of his role as both teacher and manager of the riding center.
The charges are extensive. He pleaded guilty to five counts of continuous sexual abuse of minors under 16, three counts of continuous sexual abuse with penetration, one count of producing child pornography involving a minor under 16, one count of obscene exhibition in front of minors, and one count of ongoing degrading treatment. According to Capgros, the abuse was systematic and lasted nearly a decade, with the instructor using his authority to control his victims.
After his release, the court ordered strict supervision for nine more years. He is banned from approaching the victims’ homes, workplaces, or schools—sometimes within a kilometer, sometimes within 500 meters—depending on the case. He cannot contact the victims in any way for a period longer than his prison term. He is also permanently barred from any job or activity involving regular contact with minors for at least ten years after his sentence. These restrictions reflect the seriousness with which Spanish courts now treat these crimes, as reported by Moncloa and other national outlets.
The instructor must also pay €62,000 to the victims as compensation for psychological and moral harm. While this amount is significant, it cannot undo the trauma suffered by the children and their families. The sum was set as part of the plea agreement and is meant to address the lasting impact on the victims’ mental health.
Multiple independent sources confirm that the man had been held in pre-trial detention without bail since April 14, 2023, highlighting the gravity of the charges and the perceived risk of flight or reoffending. The case also fits into a broader pattern of increased media attention to sexual violence against minors in Spain during this period.
He has been in pre-trial detention without bail since April 2023, a measure extended for two more years in April 2025. Prosecutors originally sought a sentence of 46 years and 3 months, reflecting the repeated nature of the abuse. The final agreement, though shorter, is still among the harshest sentences for such crimes in Catalonia in recent years. According to La Vanguardia, the plea deal was intended to spare the victims the ordeal of a full trial while still ensuring a long sentence and strong protective measures.
This case highlights the risks that can exist in youth sports and extracurricular activities, where adults may have unchecked authority. The outcome makes clear that abuse of power, especially against children, will not be ignored. The legal response here is a warning: parents, schools, and organizations must not let trust replace oversight and accountability.
