Gambiaj.com – ALMERIA, Spain) – A Gambian (name witheld) has been sentenced to five years in prison by a Court of Almería, Spain, after being found guilty of attempting to murder a man and assaulting three local police officers in Vera in 2023. The ruling was delivered following a mutual agreement during the third hearing of the case.
The incident occurred on the night of April 12, 2023, when the 43-year-old man, whose name has not been released, attacked the victim on the Vera seafront. Armed with a one-meter-long stick, the accused struck the man multiple times on the head “with great violence,” according to the court, with the intent to kill. The victim, whose identity has also not been disclosed, sustained severe injuries and was rushed to La Inmaculada Hospital for emergency treatment.
Following the brutal assault, the attacker fled the scene. Local police officers were able to locate and arrest him shortly afterward. However, during the arrest, the Gambian national resisted and assaulted the officers, inflicting minor injuries. The court noted that the accused kicked, hit, and bit the officers in an effort to escape.
For the crime of attempted murder, the court sentenced the man to five years in prison and ordered him to pay over €8,000 in compensation to the victim. This sum includes €4,088 for physical injuries, €3,000 for emotional distress, and €943 for the long-term impact of the attack. The court also imposed a 15-year restraining order, barring the man from contacting or approaching the victim.
In addition, the court imposed a further six-month sentence for assaulting the law enforcement officers during his arrest. The man was ordered to compensate the three officers with a total of €1,260, with each officer receiving amounts ranging from €280 to €630 depending on the severity of their injuries, which included bite wounds, arm injuries, and bruising.
This sentencing underscores Spain’s firm stance on violent crime, especially when it involves the intent to take a life and assaults on law enforcement. The Gambian man will now serve his sentence while being held responsible for the physical and emotional harm inflicted on both his victim and the officers involved.
