A 29-year-old man has been sentenced by the Audiencia Provincial de Valencia to one year and nine months in prison after being found guilty of abusing and threatening his underage girlfriend, and of illegally detaining her. The victim was a minor living in a state care facility, a circumstance that draws attention to the dangers vulnerable young people continue to face in the region.
The Tribunal Superior de Justicia de la Comunidad Valenciana (TSJCV) made the ruling public after the defendant admitted guilt. The sentence took into account his repeated offenses of a similar nature and ongoing drug addiction, which was considered a mitigating factor. Recidivism was treated as an aggravating circumstance.
Information from the case file, the victim met the man online in September 2022. He began a relationship with her despite knowing she was only 15. In October, while the girl was allowed to spend a weekend at her father's home, the man persuaded her to visit his apartment in Manises, Valencia. He took her phone, cutting off her contact with others; from there, he controlled her movements. He forced her to do all the household chores and subjected her to degrading treatment.
The situation escalated quickly. The court found that the man's behavior grew increasingly violent, moving from verbal abuse to physical assaults. He struck her in the face and punched her in the ribs. He also pushed her, intending to harm her. When the girl said she wanted to leave, he locked her inside the apartment and threatened to find and kill her if she tried to escape. The court concluded that his actions were meant to instill fear and keep her from seeking help.
After a week in captivity, the minor escaped when her abuser was briefly inattentive. She is now receiving psychological and medical treatment for anxiety and depression resulting from the ordeal. The case points to the challenges authorities face in protecting minors, especially those already in vulnerable situations.
Illegal detention incidents are not isolated in Spain. In a separate case, Spanish police recently freed a Romanian truck driver held hostage for more than a week in Catalonia in a situation linked to organized crime and drug trafficking. Details of the operation are available in this report on a kidnapping in Barcelona.
Spain's legal system continues to grapple with gender-based violence and the protection of minors. The Valencia sentence reflects efforts to address repeat offenders and account for factors such as substance abuse that can accompany these crimes. Authorities emphasize early intervention and victim support, particularly for those in institutional care, to prevent similar incidents.
