Trial in Malaga of “El Melillero” for attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend and a friend with acid in Cártama on November 13th. Alex Zea (Europa Press)
José Arcadio DM, alias El Melillero, the man who sprayed his ex-partner and a friend with sulfuric acid in Malaga in 2021, was sentenced to 41 years and three months in prison. The verdict, announced on December 21 and published this Thursday afternoon, finds him guilty of the attempted murder of Sandra, his ex-girlfriend, and Cristina, the woman who was traveling with her at the time of the attack, both seriously injured. He is also convicted of two counts of serious threats against women, as well as habitual abuse and harassment. The verdict also imposes a prison sentence of 32 years and three months for Juan José G., who accompanied El Melillero at the time of the attack – although the court could not clarify who the author of the material was – and a prison sentence of ten years for one other buddy. , Victor. The first two must pay 1.4 million in compensation to the victims.
The court found it proven that between May and December 2020, El Melillero and Sandra had a romantic relationship that began normally, but in which he gradually exercised control over her, even accessing her cell phone and “frequent incidents between the couple”. ” At least once he slapped him in the face, and another time he suffered a stab wound. “He also controlled the places she went,” says the text, which highlights frequent discussions between the two in which, among other adjectives, he told her: “Whore, bitch, you are worthless, you are the lowest of all the Costa del “Sol.” “. These circumstances led the young woman to leave the apartment they shared in the city of Málaga, although he replied: “If she left him or reported him, he would harm her and her family.” She finally broke off the relationship in mid-December.
In the days that followed, he harassed her, followed her and called her several times. The situation worsened in the first days of January 2021, when El Melillero was preparing its attack in parallel. Between January 1 and 5, he asked his friend Víctor to buy a bottle of sulfuric acid “with the highest possible concentration,” which he had purchased online. The first attempt to spray Sandra with the corrosive liquid came on the night of January 11, 2021, when he followed his ex-partner's vehicle – to which he had attached a beacon – but failed to get her to do so to roll down the vehicle window.
The next day, January 12, at around two o'clock in the afternoon, they followed her again and blocked her path on a road in Cártama, a metropolitan city about 20 kilometers from Málaga. They approached in the opposite direction and when they were parallel, one of the occupants “pressed” the canister with the sulfuric acid and aimed it at the upper part of the glass that corresponded to the pilot, that is, where Sandra was sitting. The acid fell on her and splashed her friend too. They both got out of the car to avoid suffocation, and José Arcadio “laughed while looking at them before fleeing.” His ex-partner suffered burns to 45% of his body, had to undergo surgery a dozen times and has numerous lifelong consequences. Cristina also has severe burns on various parts of her body (20% of the total) and has suffered numerous injuries and consequences as a result of the attack.
Interim disposal
For all these reasons, the court sentenced El Melillero to a total of 41 years and three months in prison for two counts of attempted murder of Sandra and Cristina, two counts of serious threats against women and one count of habitual abuse, and another for harassing his ex-partner. It also prohibits him from being within 500 meters of the victims and from coming near their home, work or any other place they frequent. The judge indicates that he can serve a maximum of 25 years behind bars starting January 16, 2021, the date of his arrest. Afterwards he will be transferred to a temporary prison, a situation that has been extended until January 15, 2033. The text also provides for 32 years and three months in prison for Juan José G., who accompanied El Melillero at the time of the attack, and ten years Prison for another accomplice, Víctor, as an accomplice in two crimes of attempted murder.
José Arcadio and Juan José must pay 1.1 million euros in compensation to Sandra and just over 312,000 euros to Cristina, amounts for which the third convict is jointly and severally liable. They were all acquitted of charges of belonging to a criminal organization. The verdict also freed the other three men who sat in the dock during the trial: Mohamed E., David GT and Achraf K., who were convicted of the crimes of attempted murder, belonging to a criminal organization and covering up those, who tried to be acquitted had been indicted.
Telephone 016 supports victims of sexist violence, their families and their environment 24 hours a day, every day of the year, in 53 different languages. The number will not be registered on the phone bill, but the call must be deleted from the device. You can also contact them by email at [email protected] and by WhatsApp at 600 000 016. Minors can contact the ANAR Foundation at 900 20 20 10. If it is an emergency you can call 112 or the telephone numbers of the National Police (091) and the Civil Guard (062). And if you can't call, you can use the ALERTCOPS application, from which an alarm signal with geolocation will be sent to the police.
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