The professional football player Rafa Mir has officially filed an appeal against his prison sentence of eight years and six months for sexual assault and causing injury. The sentence was recently handed down by the Fourth Section of the Provincial Court of Valencia, following an incident that took place at a villa in Betera, Valencia, during the night of 31st August to 1st September 2024.
In a video statement shared on his social media accounts, the player expressed his firm disagreement with the ruling and confirmed that his legal team has submitted the necessary paperwork to have the decision reviewed by a higher court, specifically the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community. Mir stated that out of respect for the legal process and all parties involved, he would not publicly debate the details of the case, choosing instead to conduct his defence in the courtroom where it belongs.
The court ruling, which is not yet final, found it proven that Mir sexually assaulted the female complainant in the swimming pool area and subsequently in a bathroom. As part of the sentence, he was also ordered to pay 64,000 euro in financial compensation to the victim.
His co-defendant and friend, Pablo Jara, was also sentenced in the same ruling to two years in prison for sexual assault without penetration, offences against moral integrity, and minor injuries. Jara was ordered to pay 6,280 euro in compensation.
The defence appeal explicitly questions why specific video evidence submitted during the trial was seemingly disregarded in the final judgement, while also raising formal concerns regarding the initial actions and procedures carried out by the Local Police of Betera on the night of the incident.
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