A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to ten years, three months and one day in prison, for hitting and forcing a sexual act on his partner, while violating a restraining order in Rojales.

The sentence, handed down by an Alicante court, found him guilty of breaching a restraining order, as well as violence and sexual assault. However, the accused was acquitted of a fourth crime of illegal detention, for which he was also being tried.

The events took place between May 15 and 18 when the accused, who was serving a restraining order for a previous crime of abuse, made an appointment by telephone with his former partner to meet in a cave house where they used to go regularly to have sexual relations.

The woman agreed to the meeting after leaving at her place of work “the monitoring device” that was provided to her by the courts, and that had been issued following an earlier assault by the defendant.

Once in the cave house, the man reacted violently to the woman, “hitting her face and arms with his hand and forcing her” inside the house. Afterwards, he closed the door and continued hitting her, until he said that he wanted sex with her.

The woman refused, but the accused pulled down her pants and penetrated her against her will. He later tied her hands with the cable of a phone charger, although the woman was able to leave the house after the accused fell asleep.

In addition to the six months and one day for the breach, nine months for the crime of gender violence and nine years for the sexual assault, the sentence requires the accused to compensate the victim for the amount of 500 euros for the injuries caused, and another 20,000 euros for moral damages. The ruling may, however, be appealed before the Superior Court of Justice (TSJCV) within a period of ten days.