Real Madrid Player, Already Convicted in One Case, Avoids Prison in Second Trial

Real Madrid defender Raúl Asensio has been cleared of charges in a sexual content video distribution case, an accusation he faced some time ago. This development comes after the women identified as victims chose to forgive him. Consequently, the Spanish footballer, who was facing a potential 2.5-year prison sentence, will not be prosecuted.

This is excellent news for Asensio, arriving just a day after he was convicted on a separate charge of driving under the influence. In that case, he pleaded guilty and was sanctioned with an 8-month driving ban and a fine of 14,400 euros.

The controversial sexual content video incident dates back to the summer of 2023. At the time, Raúl, then 20, and three other young players from Real Madrid's academy took two girls to a beach in Gran Canaria. There, they rented a private cabana where the situation escalated to group sex. Asensio was the only one who did not participate in the orgy but secretly filmed the events on his phone. The video then began circulating via WhatsApp until one of the girls became aware of it. A police report followed, leading to an investigation and even the arrest of the players. At the time, one of the girls was 16, and the other was 18.

Today, the first of three scheduled court hearings against the footballers began in Las Palmas. Of the accused, only Raúl Asensio remains part of the team. The two young women featured in the videos, which led to charges against the defender and his former teammates Ferran Ruiz, Juan Rodríguez, and Andrés García, confirmed to the judge on Thursday that they had forgiven all four individuals involved.

The two victims, one of whom was a minor at the time of the events (2023), gave their testimonies via video conference, as did the players themselves. In response to questions from the prosecutor, both witnesses individually confirmed that they forgave the four defendants – Asensio for recording, and the other three for sending and distributing the footage. Each stated that they did so "of their own free will" and without any pressure or conditions.

The court proceedings were public, as the prosecution wanted to ensure that the forgiveness was spontaneous and not linked to any compensation agreed upon with the young women. This issue even delayed the start of the hearing.

Ultimately, the forgiveness, which the victims formalized before the judge of Criminal Court No. 5 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, allowed the prosecution to withdraw the charge of revealing secrets against all four. This forgiveness effectively extinguishes criminal liability for the crime of revealing secrets, leading to Raúl Asensio's acquittal.

However, this does not negate the child pornography charges brought against Ruiz, Rodríguez, and García (but not against Asensio). In this type of crime, the victim's forgiveness does not extinguish liability. The three were sentenced to one year in prison for distributing child pornography after reaching an agreement with the prosecution.

The execution of these sentences, however, is conditionally suspended for a period of two years, provided that the three do not commit any new offenses during this time. Additionally, they will be required to complete a course on sexual education and sensitivity.

Before this agreement was reached, the prosecution had sought four years and seven months in prison for Ferran Ruiz, Juan Rodríguez, and Andrés García, and two and a half years for Raúl Asensio.