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Spanish cops who tortured Brit jailed

Alex Dunham
Alex Dunham - [email protected]
Spanish cops who tortured Brit jailed
The court heard how the officers used the victim’s shoe to assault him, rubbed a sandwich in his face, forced him to undress and hit him in his genitals. Photo: Cristina Quicler

Four Spanish Civil Guard officers have been handed a joint 10-year prison sentence by a Majorca judge after they tortured a handcuffed British tourist in a prison cell on the Balearic island.

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The events, which took place in 2009, were preceded by a bar brawl in the holiday resort of Calviá in which one of the Civil Guard officers was punched in the face by the British tourist.

Spanish media has reported the officer was either left unconscious or in a semi-conscious state when he hit the floor after the punch.

The Palma court heard how the Civil Guard officers, part of Spain’s military police, then plotted to get their revenge on the British tourist and his companion once they were under arrest.

In the early hours of that morning, the four officers went into the prison cell where the men were being held to then punch and hit the Brit with a truncheon while he was handcuffed.

The court heard how the officers assaulted the man on at least four occasions while under arrest.

They used the victim’s shoe to hit him, rubbed a sandwich in his face, forced him to undress and hit him in his genitals.

They also threatened to break his arms and legs if he ever reported what had happened.

The other victim, whose nationality hasn’t been disclosed, was also physically assaulted.

According to Spanish daily El Mundo, both men took 60 days to recover from their injuries, the British tourist suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder.

On Monday, one of the officers was handed a 4-year jail sentence for torture charges and given a life-long ban from Spain’s Civil Guard. He will also have to pay €2,455 to the victims for the injuries they sustained.

The other three officers were given 2-year prison sentences each but are unlikely to have to serve time as Spanish law states first-time offenders who are given two years can escape jail if they pay compensation to their victims.

All three were given an 8-year ban from Spain’s Civil Guard.

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