A POLICE officer in Sevilla has been fined after slapping a drunk young man who had sat down in the middle of the street, blocking traffic.
The Sevilla Court has ordered an officer from the Policia Nacional to pay a fine of €10,800, along with €350 in compensation, after finding him guilty of a minor offence of causing injury.
The incident happened in the early hours of February 13, 2022, at around 5:30am or 6:00am, outside the Theatre Disco on Economy Street.
Police had been called, following reports of ‘a possible crime against sexual freedom.’
When officers arrived, they found a large crowd gathered, including a young man who required medical assistance.
An ambulance was called, but as it took time to arrive, tensions began to rise.
According to the court ruling, some of those present became increasingly agitated and started confronting officers, accusing them of doing nothing despite emergency services being on the way and additional police units arriving for support.
During the disturbance, one young man sat down in the middle of the road, creating a risk both to himself and to traffic.
The officer involved then lifted him up and moved him towards a police vehicle. The court noted that this was done forcefully, but without assaulting him, as the man was refusing to cooperate.
The officer positioned the young man against the vehicle in order to carry out a search. However, the man resisted by turning away.
At that point, the situation escalated. The officer, standing behind him, placed his arms under the man’s armpits and lifted him slightly before throwing him to the ground, leaving him on his back.
He then slapped him on the right side of his neck and jaw.
Even after this, the young man continued to turn around and resist cooperation, making it difficult for the officer to carry out his duties.
The incident was witnessed by several people and recorded on video, which was later presented in court.
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The judges said the footage clearly showed that the injuries suffered by the young man were caused by the slap.
They added that this was the only proven act of aggression during the encounter.
All officers involved agreed that the young man ‘showed clear signs of intoxication.’
A friend of the young man told the court they had consumed several drinks before and during their time at the nightclub, which matched the behaviour observed by police.
The court acknowledged that the officer believed he was dealing with a ‘hostile situation’ and that the detention itself was not illegal.
In fact, the young man was initially investigated for allegedly resisting arrest, although he was later acquitted due to ‘a lack of evidence.’
While the police action was considered justified in the circumstances, the slap was deemed unnecessary and resulted in a minor injury offence.
As a result, the officer has been handed a financial penalty and ordered to compensate the victim.
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