Jaen man who stabbed ex-girlfriend 19 times “did not act with malicious intent”

THE Supreme Court has reduced the 16 year sentence of a man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend 19 times in Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz, in 2007, by one year. The court has taken into account that he confessed to the crime, which left the young woman wheelchair bound for life and 92 per cent disabled, shortly afterwards.

The two had met via the internet, but after meeting a few times, she ended the relationship. Several months later, in May 2007 when she was heading to school, the attacker waited for her in the car in which he had travelled from his hometown of Ubeda, in Jaen, then stabbed her with a large knife with so much force that he broke it.

He then got into the car, drove back to Ubeda, changed his clothes and abandoned the car in an olive grove. But later handed himself in to the Guardia Civil. He had been sentenced to 14 years in prison for attempted murder, 18 months for threats and six months for serious insults. The total sentence is now reduced to 15 years.

The Supreme Court has also rejected that there was malicious intent in his actions despite the number of stab wounds, as this would require the aim of prolonging the suffering of the victim, and in this case she lost consciousness after the first wound was inflicted.

The court also rejected the prosecutor’s suggestion that the accused was psychologically abusing the victim, despite calling her 150 times in just a few hours, or sending pictures of her naked to a friend at high school.