The Alicante Court has taken a man accused of a crime to trial. A hate crime was committed by racially insulting a woman as she was queuing at the La Villajoyosa health centre. The event attracted local police intervention, resulting in a confrontation with cops, although he was not charged. At the conclusion of yesterday’s Second Section hearing, Wednesday’s May 28th, the Prosecutor’s Office reiterated its proposal for a one-year jail term for a hate crime.
The incident occurred on the morning of August 1, 2023, when the accused and complainant met at the primary care health centre. The victim claimed that she was queuing to be seen with her 8-year-old daughter when the accused approached her from the street and stood next to her. “Without saying anything, or even looking at me, he started calling me a shitty Moor, telling me to go back to the hospitals in my country, and that we only came to steal ,” she told the judge. He shouted at her from a short distance away, swinging his arms. The woman claimed she was terrified and that the accused was constantly repeating these comments. “When it was my turn, he stood at the counter and presented his card. The woman who was serving accepted it, and he told me it was because he was Spanish,” she explained. The man’s violent behavior caused her to cry, and when her sister-in-law arrived to assist her, the accused began insulting her as well.
The defendant, who testified last, stated that he has no memory of what happened because he was drunk. However, after being questioned by his lawyer, it’s probable that he was reacting because he thought it was his turn in the queue to be seen. He recalled that they had arrived together, and if the person in line had been Spanish, he would have been furious. “I apologise; I didn’t mean to insult the Moor ,” he replied. The defendant indicated that he had gone to the centre to schedule an appointment with the psychologist and that he was a little inebriated since he had not eaten much and the drink had upset him. “I have no recollection of what happened; I was unaware that I had had an altercation with the woman.” I’ve never disrespected a woman, but it’s possible I did that day because I was upset,” he admitted. He stated that he only remembered having a dispute with the police.
Witnesses
During the trial, a cleaning lady who witnessed the crime and the victim’s sister-in-law, who confronted the defendant, testified as witnesses. Both the victim and these two witnesses testified behind a screen to avoid visual contact with the defendant. The health centre worker testified that the defendant and the victim were the only people present at the time, and that he began insulting her. “He repeated this repeatedly and was very aggressive,” she informed me. The victim’s sister-in-law asserted that the defendant was unaware of their familial relationship. “The moment he saw me, he began insulting me. I assured him that I do not steal from anyone and that I came here to work.
The local police officers who came to the health centre claimed that the accused was extremely upset and refused to identify himself. “He told us we had to identify ourselves,” the officer explained.
The prosecution maintained its plea for a hate crime conviction at the end of the trial, stating that with these words, the defendant “intended to undermine the victim’s dignity.” The defence contended that, while the language used were “unfortunate,” the circumstances were not criminally important enough to constitute a hate crime. The defence claimed that this was an isolated incidence with no potential for spread. The defence attorney asked for the defendant’s acquittal.
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