Former Celta Vigo footballer Santi Mina has been ordered by the Almeria court to prepare for a four-year prison sentence following a final sexual assault ruling by the Supreme Court.
The Third Section of the Almeria court gave Mina’s defense team ten days to present arguments regarding the execution of the sentence, according to the newspaper AS. An ordinary suspension is unavailable because the prison term exceeds two years. Once this legal window closes, the court will issue an order for the player to voluntarily report to a prison of his choice.
Ten-Day Window for Sentence Execution
Judges also instructed the Galician player to address compliance with a twelve-year prohibition on approaching the victim within 500 meters and communicating with her by any means. The court warned Mina that violating these restrictions constitutes a separate criminal offense. Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution has been given the opportunity to state its position on the payment of 25,000 euros in civil compensation for moral damages.
The execution process stems from a Supreme Court Criminal Chamber decision that ratified the conviction. The case dates back to the early hours of June 16, 2017, involving an assault against a woman in a parked truck near a Mojacar nightclub in Almeria. The ruling upheld the acquittal of fellow player David Goldar.
Supreme Court Rejects Defense Appeal
The Supreme Court dismissed all twenty-nine grounds of the defense’s appeal. Judges found that the defendant acted taking advantage of the narrow and unfamiliar space
of the victim, while blocking the only exit and she was in a state of shock.
The court affirmed that Mina carried out a surprise attack that indicated an immediate absence of consent. Judges also rejected the victim’s appeal, which had demanded an eight-year prison sentence. That heavier demand failed because the initial court’s account did not describe the use of coercive violence.
Link to Messi Final Barcelona Match
Mina’s name was tied to spoiling Messi’s farewell to Barcelona. Messi played his final match in a Barcelona shirt on May 16, 2021 against Celta Vigo in the Spanish league. At the Camp Nou, in the 37th round of the campaign, Barcelona fell to their guests Celta Vigo (1-2).
Lionel Messi struck first for Barca in the 28th minute. Just 10 minutes afterwards, Mina equalized for the away side, and subsequently netted his second in the 89th minute to shatter the Blaugrana’s hopes of securing back-to-back La Liga titles.
| Legal and Case Details | Record |
|---|---|
| Offense Date | June 16, 2017 |
| Civil Compensation | 25,000 Euros |
The court document notes that the victim suffers from severe anxiety, depressive symptoms, and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder affecting her daily life. Throughout his career, Mina represented Spain across various youth categories up to the under-21 level, though he never made an appearance for the senior national team.
