Two minors convicted to 2 and 4 years of internment for Badalona shopping center rape case

Two minors under the age of 16 who raped an eleven-year-old girl in the Màgic shopping center in Badalona in November 2022 have been sentenced to four and two years in juvenile detention.

The assaults were done in group and occurred first in the bathroom of the shopping center and, four days later, in an open field outside the premises.

In addition to the two convicted, there were four other minors involved, but since they are under 14 years old, they cannot be held criminally responsible. One, who has not been identified, recorded the rape on his mobile phone.

The cases shocked Catalan society in 2022 and several other cases of sexual assaults were later reported at the same shopping center.

The sentence, in accordance with the victim's defense, considers it proven that the two convicted and the other four young men forced the girl into the men's bathroom under the threat that if she screamed they would stab her with a knife.

According to the sentence, four days later one of the minors who participated in the first acts, accompanied by four others who were not charged, came across the girl again at the shopping center and, again against her will, took her to an open field and subjected her to sexual violence.

For these acts, the court sentenced the two minors under the age of 16 to four and two years of internment for rape.

In the case of the two-year sentence, the court agreed to suspend the execution of the internment measure for two years, provided that the person in question correctly complies with a supervised release during this period, with a order to stay away from the girl, and with the obligation to undergo a sex education course and an equality education program.

In addition, he cannot be convicted of any other crime and must show a commitment to reintegrate into society, without committing new offenses.

As for the other convicted person, he is also prohibited from coming within 1,000 meters of the girl, her brother or their parents, or communicating with them by any means.

Like the other convicted person, he must follow a sex and equality education program.