A young man has been sentenced to four years in prison by the Third Section of the Alicante Provincial Court for sexually assaulting three juveniles, who were friends of his sister, while they were spending the night at his home.

He is convicted of three counts of sexual assault against a minor, one of which involved carnal knowledge, with mitigating circumstances of undue delay. As a result, he is sentenced to two six-month prison sentences and an additional three-year sentence by the court.

The convicted man is required to pay 5,000 euros to two of the victims and 15,000 euros to the third as compensation for the moral damages caused to the juveniles by the events.

Additionally, he will be prohibited from approaching or communicating with juveniles within a 200-metre radius of one of the victims for a period of eight years and for a period of five years with the other two.

The victims were 12 and 13 years old

According to the sentence’s statement of proven facts, the victim, who was 12 years old at the time, was asleep at her friend’s residence in Novelda on October 13th, 2018.

During the early morning, while the girls were each asleep on a sofa, the accused enquired if he could join them for sleep, as he was unable to sleep alone. He then sat down on the sofa and subjected the victim to touching her private parts.

In October 2018, the defendant’s sister invited the second victim, who was 13 years old, to spend the night at her mother’s house. The defendant’s sister then exploited the situation by inviting the victim to her room.

The prisoner caressed her private parts and compelled her to perform fellatio on him upon entering the room.

On November 17th, 2018, the final attack took place when a third girl, aged 12, retired to sleep at the residence of the convicted man. Despite the victim’s protests, the accused entered the room where the minors were sleeping, grabbed the hand of his sister’s friend, and forced it towards his genitals.

The ruling, which is not definitive and can be appealed before the Civil and Criminal Division of the TSJCV, determines that the proceedings were excessively prolonged and that this duration cannot be attributed to the convicted individual, but rather to the Provincial Court’s substantial workload. Consequently, it regards the mitigating circumstance of unwarranted delays as highly qualified.

Matías Ruiz, the Councillor for Urban Planning, and Víctor Valverde, the Councillor for Infrastructure, have announced that the cycle-pedestrian viaduct over the AP-7 and its connection to Calle Creus-Crta. San Miguel has been subject to a tender process. “We have successfully unblocked the process to ensure that the construction project for this footbridge, which has been highly requested by coastal residents for many years, can be realised as soon as possible,” Valverde stated.

The objective of this contract is to establish the services necessary for the draughting of the construction project, as well as the geotechnical and environmental studies and the topographical survey. The technical specifications consist of a preliminary study (geological and geotechnical studies, environmental studies, and a topographical survey of the surrounding area), a comprehensive construction execution project that has been agreed upon and approved by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility; a Health and Safety Study, a Construction Waste Management Study, a Quality Control Plan, a document that establishes standards for the maintenance and upkeep of the footbridge, and any supplementary technical documents necessary for the completion of procedures and the acquisition of permits and authorisations.

Similarly, Matías Ruiz stated that the project’s objective is to create a cycle-pedestrian promenade that ensures permeability while maintaining a sufficient level of safety. A comprehensive solution must be achieved by adapting the configuration (plan, elevation, and typical section) to connect it to the access ramps of the existing municipal road system. In reality, the structural solution will take into account mixed cycle-pedestrian use, with a minimum unobstructed width of 1.8 m and a two-way cycle lane of at least 2.5 m.

In addition, LED lighting will be implemented to ensure that the roadway is suitable for pedestrian and cyclist traffic, and the promenade is designed to complement the urban environment. A lighting study will be conducted to guarantee that the lighting is sufficient.

The successful bidder will undergo a preliminary study phase and the actual draughting of the construction project in relation to the description of the works. Matías Ruiz clarified that the design criteria will be aesthetic, constructive, durable, functional, economic, and environmental, with the technical considerations imposed by the Highway Department being fundamental.

We expect to complete the contract within four months for a total of €86,344.43, including VAT. The estimated cost of the footbridge construction is €1,370,000.

It is highly probable that you have encountered a Guardia Civil vehicle at some point and have contemplated whether or not to overtake it. The DGT’s recommendation and the consequences of doing so are as follows.

It is crucial to have a clear understanding of how to respond to the authorities. Therefore, what are the consequences if you overtake the Guardia Civil on the road? Well, the Directorate General of Traffic has a clue.

It is probable that you encountered a Guardia Civil vehicle while travelling. At that moment, you are uncertain as to whether you will be able to succeed. There is no need for concern, as this type of situation is a relatively common occurrence.

It is a relatively prevalent occurrence in rural areas, where the Guardia Civil is more prevalent, on secondary roads.

There are numerous drivers who are apprehensive about passing a Guardia Civil vehicle. Nevertheless, there is no regulation prohibiting the overtaking of official vehicles. This includes not only vehicles belonging to theGuardia Civil, but also those belonging to the National Police and the Army.

The initial response is affirmative. As we have previously noted, the General Traffic Regulations do not prohibit overtaking the Guardia Civil at any time. Passing these vehicles is not detrimental. This is true only if you adhere to the traffic regulations.

In reality, it is a prevalent practice among numerous motorists to abruptly decelerate when they observe a Guardia Civil vehicle, which can be hazardous to the vehicles in their rearview mirrors. That can result in a fine.

In the same vein, if you exhibit unusual behaviour while driving that could impede traffic or arouse suspicions among officers, they may halt you to determine whether there is a problem or if everything is in order.

Nevertheless, it is imperative to consider the law when overtaking any vehicle, not just a Guardia Civil vehicle. Drivers are required to respect the maximum speed limit of the road they are on: On motorways and dual carriageways, the speed limit is 120 km/h, while on secondary highways, it is 90 km/h.

Consequently, if you attempt to outpace a Guardia Civil vehicle travelling at 90 km/h on the highway, you will be subject to a fine. However, the same principle applies when a radar or Pegasus helicopter detects a vehicle surpassing another. There is no issue if the vehicle is travelling at a reduced speed.

The DGT’s hint

According to the DGT, “overtaking is the act of passing another moving vehicle, which is travelling at a slower speed, in front of the vehicle you are operating.” Generally, you should overtake on the left side of the vehicle you intend to overtake.

Overtaking is a complex manoeuvre that entails a moderate level of risk, particularly on secondary roads, as it necessitates the temporary occupation of the opposite lane.

Consequently, overtaking is only permissible at designated locations when traffic signs authorise it. The DGT suggests that the safety rule “rearview mirror – signal – manoeuvre” be implemented in this context, with the awareness that quicker vehicles may be approaching from behind.

It is crucial to bear in mind that the Traffic Department has eradicated the additional 20 km/h margin for overtaking on conventional roads since the end of 2021. Consequently, the utmost permissible speed is 90 km/h, and it is prohibited to exceed it to overtake another vehicle.