The TSJIB confirms it: two years and one day in prison for the former parish priest of Can Picafort for sexual abuse of a minor

PalmThe High Court of Justice of the Balearic Islands (TSJIB) has confirmed the sentence imposed by the Provincial Court on the former parish priest of Can Picafort, in the municipality of Santa Margalida, to two years and one day in prison for a crime of sexual abuse of a minor under 13 years of age.

The Civil and Criminal Chamber has dismissed the appeal filed by the defense and considers that the lower court's ruling assessed the evidence "in a reasonable, logical, and non-arbitrary manner," according to the resolution made public this Wednesday. In addition to the prison sentence, the court upheld the five-and-a-half-year restraining order prohibiting the defendant from communicating with or approaching within 500 meters of the victim, as well as the payment of €15,000 in compensation. The Diocese of Mallorca remains subsidiarily liable in the event of the defendant's insolvency. The judges consider it proven that the former rector touched and groped the minor's vagina, and they note that the lower court dismissed the charge of sexual intercourse due to a lack of evidence. "The victim has always maintained a coherent and detailed account of what happened," the ruling states. Regarding the delay in reporting the crime, the High Court of Justice of the Balearic Islands (TSJIB) points out that "the delay in recounting or reporting the events does not diminish the victim's credibility," since the nature of sexual offenses often leads to revictimization and makes immediate reporting difficult. This ruling can still be appealed to the Supreme Court.