Spanish prosecutors may increase Alves' jail term after 4-year rape sentence

Spanish prosecutors are set to appeal against the four-and-a-half year jail term handed to former Brazil and Barcelona player Dani Alves for rape, arguing that it should be longer.

The 40-year-old was sentenced last month for the incident in a Spanish nightclub bathroom, having been held on remand at Brians 2 Prison near the Catalan capital since his arrest in January 2023.

During the trial, state prosecutors had expressed a desire for a nine year jail term, while a lawyer acting for the victim demanded a 12 year sentence.

Judicial sources reported on Friday to AFP (via RFI) that national prosecutors will press for a tougher sentence.

In addition to the four and a half year jail sentence, Alves was also handed five years' probation after serving his jail sentence, and ordered to pay the victim 150,000 euros (£128,000) in compensation.

Alves, who also played for Seville, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Sao Paulo, insisted that the encounter was consensual, but the court ruled in favour of the woman, who said Alves had violently forced her to have sex in a private bathroom of the nightclub despite her begging him to release her, causing 'anguish and terror'.

In October 2022, Spain's parliament passed a law requiring explicit consent for sexual acts, following demands from women's rights groups and assault survivors.

Immediately following last month's conviction, Alves' lawyer Ines Guardiola confirmed outside court that an appeal would be lodged.

She said: 'We are going to appeal the sentence and I still believe in the innocence of Mr Alves. He's doing okay.

'Obviously four-and-a-half years' prison is better than nine years or 12 years and I have yet to read the full sentence but I will appeal.'

Residents in his native Brazilian state of Bahia have called for his statue in Juazeiro - which has already been vandalised - to be removed, while Barcelona revoked Alves' official club legend status following the trial, only to U-turn on the decision.