The Palma Court has imposed three years and eleven months in prison on a 38-year-old man for beating, humiliating and controlling his ex-partner, as well as slashing with a knife the sofa where she was sitting and cutting her hair with the weapon during the summer of 2024.
A judge from the Second Section of the Palma Court has sentenced a 38-year-old man to three years and eleven months in prison for a series of abuses against his ex-partner. The events occurred in the summer of 2024, when the accused, of Colombian origin, slashed the sofa with a kitchen knife while the victim was sitting on it and cut her hair with the same weapon. The sentence, which is not yet final, includes a twelve-year restraining order monitored by an electronic bracelet.
Knife assault and ongoing humiliation
According to the ruling, the accused beat his ex-partner, humiliated her and controlled her regularly. In one of the most serious episodes, while she was sitting on the sofa, the man took a kitchen knife and slashed the furniture just inches from the woman. He then proceeded to cut her hair with the same knife, in an act of domination and humiliation. The prosecution initially requested 19 years in prison for various crimes, but the court reduced the sentence after considering mitigating circumstances.
The judges highlighted that the victim retracted during the trial her initial statement regarding a sexual assault, which led to the acquittal of the accused for this crime. They also exonerated him from coercion and ongoing humiliation, but found him guilty of habitual abuse, injuries and threats. The court particularly valued the late confession of the accused, which, although not complete, helped establish the proven facts and reinforced the judicial conviction.
Recidivism aggravating factor and confession mitigating factor
The court applied the aggravating circumstance of recidivism, as the man already had a criminal record for gender-based violence against another woman. As a mitigating factor, they considered the late confession, because the acknowledgment of the facts during the trial, despite not being complete, contributed to clarifying the crimes for which he was convicted. “In a case like the present, where the credibility of the victim has been weakened by variations in her statements, such a confession is particularly relevant,” the judges noted in the ruling.
The defence had requested two additional mitigating factors: addiction to narcotic substances and mental disorder due to depression. The court rejected these as it was not proven that the accused's capacity was affected. The man has been in provisional detention since August 2024, and the sentence confirms his admission without bail.
Twelve years of distancing with anti-abuse bracelet
In addition to the prison sentence, the court has imposed on the aggressor a prohibition on approaching and communicating with his ex-partner for twelve years. To ensure compliance with this order, he will be fitted with a telematic device (an anti-abuse bracelet) when he leaves the penitentiary. He has also been deprived of the right to possess and carry weapons for three years.
The sentence is not final and can be appealed to the High Court of Justice of the Balearic Islands (TSJB). For the residents of Palma, this case serves as a reminder of the importance of protection mechanisms, such as control bracelets, which aim to prevent the aggressor from approaching the victim. The court has emphasized that the late confession, although it does not exempt from responsibility, has been key in issuing a sentence that, while not the maximum requested, ensures that the abuser cannot repeat these acts for at least the next few years.
The victim, who changed her testimony during the judicial process, has been protected by the restraining order. The telematic device will be fitted when the convicted man leaves prison, a step that still does not have a specific date pending possible appeals.
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