Daniel Alves completes a year in prison; remember case month by month

Daniel Alves On the 20th, he completed a year in prison in Spain on charges of sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman in a nightclub in Barcelona.

The Brazilian claims his innocence and claims that the sexual relationship was consensual. The penalty for this type of crime in the country is up to 12 years in prison. The Spanish court scheduled the athlete’s trial to take place later this month.

Despite the request for 12 years in prison, the tendency is for Daniel Alves, if convicted, to remain behind bars for a maximum of six years. This is because at the beginning of the legal case, the player’s defense paid the court the amount of 150 thousand euros (around R$800 thousand) in compensation to the complainant. The woman’s lawyer contests the possible reduction of the possible sentence.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office also requested ten years of supervised release after serving his sentence in prison, and that he be prohibited from approaching the alleged victim, as well as communicating with her, for the same period. Throughout his period in detention, Daniel Alves changed his version of the case several times, changed his defense and had three requests for provisional release denied, with the Court citing a risk of flight.

Check out the evolution of the Daniel Alves case month by month

JANUARY

The case had its first repercussions in the Spanish press last year. On December 31, 2022, the Catalan daily ABC revealed that Daniel Alves had sexually assaulted a young woman at the Sutton nightclub, in Barcelona, ​​the day before. The woman was accompanied by friends at all times and the nightclub’s security team called the police, who took the victim’s statement.

The Brazilian, who was in Mexico, where he had already started the 2023 season at Pumas, spontaneously returned to Barcelona accompanied by his wife, Joana Sanz, to testify for the first time. At first, he stated that he did not know the woman who accused him.

On January 10, the Spanish court accepted the complaint and began investigating the Brazilian player.

Inconsistencies in the versions given by the athlete to the Court, in addition to the possibility of fleeing the European country, led judge Maria Concepción Canton Martín to order his arrest on January 20th. Daniel Alves was taken to the Brians 2 Penitentiary Center.

After the arrest, Pumas announced the player’s dismissal.

Daniel Alves hires renowned lawyer Cristóbal Martell, responsible for defending Barcelona, ​​Lionel Messi, businessmen and important politicians in Spain.

FEBRUARY

Images from the nightclub’s security cameras show that Daniel Alves and the complainant were locked in the bathroom of Sutton’s VIP area for 15 minutes. He even passed by the woman before leaving the place.

Results from the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences in Barcelona indicate that the remains of semen collected from the complainant’s intravaginal samples and on the floor of the nightclub’s bathroom are those of Daniel Alves, contradicting the athlete’s version that there was only oral sex on him. Images from the site’s security cameras show Daniel Alves entering the bathroom after the complainant, once again contradicting the defense’s version.

MARCH

Joana Sanz publishes a letter on social media indicating her separation from Daniel Alves. According to local TV, the player is seen “dejected and nervous” about the decision and has not eaten for days. Daniel Alves writes letter to Joana Sanz after model ends relationship. O Estadão has access to the text in which the athlete states that he regrets the model’s decision to end her relationship with him in prison and says he understands that she “wasn’t able to withstand all this pressure”.

According to Spanish website El Caso, the presence of Daniel Alves in the Brian 2 prison is driving a scheme to sell Barcelona shirts signed by the Brazilian. Uniforms are exchanged for packs of cigarettes.

APRIL

Daniel Alves asks to be heard by the Spanish Court and gives a new statement. In a new version, the Brazilian player admits that there was penetration in the relationship with the complainant, but states that the act was consented to by the woman. In the new statement, Daniel Alves also says that he gave multiple versions to the court about the case to hide the infidelity and to protect his marriage.

Daniel Alves decides to take his ex-wife, Dinorah Santana, and their two children to Spain in an attempt to argue that there is no risk of flight and request provisional release. Despite this, the Barcelona Public Prosecutor’s Office asked for his preventive detention to be maintained.

MAY

An inmate at the Brians 2 Penitentiary Center gives details about Daniel Alves’ routine in prison. According to the player’s colleague, the Brazilian is called a “rapist” and is often intimidated when he shares space with other inmates, such as at football matches and in the cafeteria. He would also be thinner and haggard.

Daniel’s request for freedom has been denied for the second time. The athlete’s defense, however, obtains authorization for a psychological evaluation of the victim from a higher court.

Daniel Alves’ defense files a new request for release and claims that there is no risk of escape. In a technical report provided, the defense contrasted the story of fear, collapse, nervousness and intimidation that the complainant described in her statements, together with the set of images, when she, the player and the two friends were together at the VIP table.

JUNE

Daniel Alves has a third appeal denied in Barcelona to face rape charges while free. Not even the registration of Dinorah Santana and her children with the right-back at the city hall, showing that they reside in Spain, moved the judges.

Ester Garcia Lopez, the complainant’s lawyer, says that Daniel Alves did not use a condom and the woman underwent antiviral treatment.

JULY

Spanish TV gives details about Daniel Alves’ testimony. In his statements, the player once again defended that there was sexual intercourse with the consent of the alleged victim, confirmed that he lied in his statement and stated that, during the period they remained in the bathroom of the Sutton nightclub, he asked her “twice if she was enjoying it “.

The first image of Daniel Alves since his arrest in Spain is released by a TV channel. The investigation is closed after six months and it is decided that Daniel Alves will go to trial. The authorities claim that there is “rational enough” evidence for the Brazilian athlete to face charges of “alleged sexual assault with carnal access”.

AUGUST

Daniel Alves withdraws from a new appeal, becomes a defendant and wants to “speed up” his trial in Spain.

SEPTEMBER

Joana Sanz publishes an alleged letter to Daniel Alves on social media. “For a kiss from the skinny girl I would give anything. For a kiss from her, even if it was just one. Where to be, whatever, whatever, but with you by my side always. I love you.” The letter is written in Spanish, which also features a drawing of a couple holding hands. The model does not specify whether the letter is from her husband or not.

OCTOBER

Joana Sanz gives up on her separation with Daniel Alves and returns to live in the couple’s house, in Barcelona. She had been living in Madrid since the start of the process. According to the Spanish press, the model receives letters from Daniel Alves twice a month at her home.

Daniel Alves changes defense and chooses lawyer Inés Guardiola to represent him. The objective of yet another change in his defense came from the desire of Daniel Alves and people close to the Brazilian. Martell’s choice for the process was not seen entirely as positive. Despite being known for major court cases, Martell did not have much experience with sexual crime cases.

In prison since January, Daniel Alves is considering admitting that he committed a sexual crime. In return, he would provide financial compensation to the victim.

NOVEMBER

Barcelona court formally sent Daniel Alves to trial on November 14, for the crime of rape. The Spanish Public Ministry is asking for nine years in prison. He is also requested to have ten years of supervised release, after serving his sentence in prison, and that he be prohibited from approaching the victim, as well as communicating with her, for the same period.

Joana Sanz denies that she intends to divorce Daniel Alves. The model also said that she continues to like the player. And Daniel Alves’ request for provisional release has been denied for the fourth time.

The complainant goes back and decides not to give up the compensation. Ester García, the 23-year-old victim’s lawyer, presented a formal letter in August, in which she informs the young woman’s decision to revoke the player’s waiver of compensation for damages.

DECEMBER

The prosecution asks for 12 years in prison for Daniel Alves, the maximum penalty for sexual assault charges in Spain if convicted.

On December 20, the Spanish Court confirms that Daniel Alves’ trial will take place on the 5th, 6th and 7th of February.

JANUARY 2024

Lúcia Alves, mother of Daniel Alves, shares a video on social media exposing the identity of the woman who reported the player for alleged sexual assault.