Former Brazil and Barcelona footballer Dani Alves has been acquitted of sexual assault charges by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia, overturning a previous conviction that had sentenced him to four and a half years in prison.
The appellate section of the court, consisting of three female judges and one male judge, accepted Alves’ appeal regarding the events of December 31, 2022, which allegedly took place at the Sutton nightclub in Barcelona. The court ruled that the initial judgment contained “a series of gaps, inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and contradictions concerning the facts, legal assessments, and their consequences”.
The judges determined that the testimony of the complainant was not sufficient to uphold the original conviction. The court emphasised that the principle of the presumption of innocence prevailed in this case.
Appeals filed by both the public prosecutor and the private prosecution were also rejected. The prosecution had requested either a partial annulment of the sentence or an increase to nine years, while the private party sought a 12-year sentence.
Alves’ lawyer, Inés Guardiola, expressed relief following the ruling but stopped short of confirming whether they would seek compensation. Speaking to RAC-1 radio, she said: “I am by his side, and finally justice has been done. I am moved and happy; he is innocent. I still have to read the verdict, which is not yet definitive. As for compensation, I cannot comment.”
In March 2024, Alves had been released from Brians 2 prison after paying bail of one million euros. At the time, he was ordered to surrender his passports, maintain distance from the alleged victim, and report weekly to the court while awaiting the appeal’s outcome.
