Dani Alves: Convicted rapist can be freed on €1m bail after serving quarter of sentence, court rules

The former football was found guilty last month of sexually assaulting a young woman in a nightclub
Dani Alves in court on February
POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Convicted rapist Dani Alves can be conditionally released from jail on a €1 million (£853,000) bail, a Barcelona court ruled on Wednesday.

The Brazilian, who is one of the most decorated footballers in history, was last month found guilty of raping a young woman in a Barcelona nightclub in late 2022.

Alvez had been held pre-trial detention since January 2023 and, therefore, has served around a quarter of his four-and-a-half-year sentence.

The decision, which was not unanimous due to a dissenting vote from one of the judges, can be appealed.

Should he be released, the former footballer must hand in both his Brazilian and Spanish passports so he cannot leave Spain, and commit to appearing before the court every week.

The court also imposed a restraining order, barring Alves from approaching the victim.

During the trial, the victim told state prosecutors she danced with Alves and willingly entered the nightclub bathroom, but that later when she wanted to leave he would not let her.

She said he slapped her, insulted her and forced her to have sexual relations against her will.

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