A businessman dedicated to the breeding and sale of horses has been sentenced to 20 years and 10 months in prison for beating to death an employee whom he had “in conditions similar to slavery” and whom he continually harassed and humiliated in his work. estate in the Valencian city of Torrent.
The events occurred in August 2021 and the sentence issued by the fifth section of the Provincial Court of Valencia includes the guilty verdict issued by a popular jury at the end of the trial, which was held between the 7th and 14th of this month of November. .
In addition to being convicted of the crime of homicide with the aggravating circumstance of abuse of superiority – punishable by 15 years in prison – the Court imposed one year and ten months in prison for a crime against moral integrity, and four years and a fine of 6,000 euros for a crime against workers’ rights.
The convicted person must compensate a biological son of the deceased with 100,000 euros as civil liability for the personal harm and moral damages suffered.
The judge who presided over the Court considers it proven that the accused took advantage of the victim’s state of need, who was a renowned expert horse trainer and trainer of dressage riders, but had a civil disqualification issued by the Portuguese authorities, to hire him. in mid-2008 without signing any document.
Although he initially agreed with him on a remuneration of 1,500 euros per month for his work, the businessman reduced it over the years until it was just 50 euros per week. In fact, he ended up subjecting him to “conditions similar to slavery”, since he forced him to work at any time of 24 hours a day, seven days a week and only allowed him to leave the farm with him or in the company of another worker. , as stated in the judicial resolution.
Likewise, with any excuse, he would yell at him, hit him with whatever he had at hand, even with brooms or sticks, causing injuries that the victim himself would cure with a disinfectant and healing spray for horses, while at the same time he harassed and humiliated him, reaching putting a cardboard sign on his chest saying that he was “a liar and a son of a bitch” or making him walk on his knees around the farm if he made any mistake in caring for the horses.
On August 27, 2021, after reproaching him for breaking a water faucet in the stables, he began to attack him with a stick, although another employee who witnessed the conflict separated them. A few hours later, the accused, aware that the victim was defenseless and recovering from the previous attack, continued hitting the victim with the stick, “knowing that the force and manner used could cause his death.”
When he returned from working in the fields, the other farm employee found the attacked person sitting on a bench, babbling and foaming at the mouth, so he notified the businessman, who took him to a hospital, although his body was already admitted. due to multiple traumas.
The accused even told health personnel that the deceased was a neighbor whom he had found unconscious in a field and provided false information for his identification.
The presiding judge of the Jury Court justifies the penalty imposed on the accused for the homicide – the highest possible range for said crime due to the aggravating circumstance of abuse of superiority – for the “really cruel, aggressive and abusive” conduct that he displayed against the victim.
