Denies raping a disabled minor in a garage in Manacor

The accused, 40 years old and of Senegalese origin, only answered questions from his defence and claimed he was never at the scene of the events. The prosecution requests nine years in prison and €20,000 in compensation.

The Palma Court has been hearing since Monday the trial against a man accused of raping a minor with intellectual disabilities in a garage in Manacor. The defendant, 40 years old and of Senegalese nationality, denied the allegations and only answered questions from his lawyer, Martina Bauzà, according to judicial sources.

The events date back to 30 April 2020, when, according to the prosecution, the accused contacted the victim via Instagram and arranged to meet her at her home. The minor, who suffers from a "clearly perceptible" mental delay, according to the Public Prosecutor's Office, opened the garage door and the man entered.

The assault in the garage

Once inside, the defendant forced the young girl to take off her clothes and touched her genitals. The victim reprimanded him for his behaviour and asked him to let her go, but the accused prevented her from leaving. According to the prosecution's account, the man threatened her with a knife and told her that if she refused, he would kill her or her sister, with whom she lived.

The assailant threw a mattress on the floor that was in the garage and raped the minor for about ten minutes, while she tried unsuccessfully to resist due to the man's physical strength. The defendant's defence claims he was never in that garage and that the accusations are false.

Prosecution's request

The prosecution demands nine years in prison for the accused, as well as his expulsion from Spain once three-quarters of the sentence has been served. Additionally, it requests that he compensate the victim with €20,000 for the moral damages caused. The court of Section Two has reproduced as pre-constituted evidence the statement the young girl made in the Investigating Court, in which she recounted the events.

The trial continues this week and the court is expected to issue a ruling in the coming days. The victim, who is now of legal age, has received psychological support and is following the process from a safe location, according to sources close to the case.