A Spanish prosecutor is requesting a nine-year prison sentence for Dani Alves, a former Barcelona and Brazil football player, who is set to go on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in Barcelona last year, according to a court document released on Thursday.
Dani Alves, who has been in custody since his arrest on January 20th, is accused of assaulting a woman in the VIP area of a Barcelona nightclub on the early morning of December 31st. According to the document, Alves initially denied any sexual encounter with the woman but later claimed that the interaction was consensual.
The prosecutor requested restraining orders for Alves after his imprisonment, as well as a payment of 150,000 euros ($163,605.00) in damages to the woman. In August, a court in the Barcelona area officially charged Alves after discovering evidence of his misconduct, and later determined that there was sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. The ex-Barcelona and Sevilla defender has been refused bail three times and is scheduled to go to trial early next year, likely in February.
In Spain, allegations of rape are examined as part of the broader charge of sexual assault, and if convicted, individuals can face imprisonment ranging from four to 15 years.
It is yet to be determined how Alves’ situation will unfold. His circumstances have become more uncertain in the past few months, and with no possibility of being granted bail until the trial commences, he is expected to stay in prison for at least another two months.
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