Santi Mina's four-year prison sentence upheld by Spanish Supreme Court

The Spanish Supreme Court has upheld the four-year prison sentence for Santi Mina, confirming the conviction for sexual assault committed in 2017.

The former Valencian and Celta de Vigo striker had appealed against the ruling of the Andalusian High Court, which had previously rejected his initial appeal against the Almería court’s verdict. The top court dismissed the motion to acquit Mina on the grounds of mistaken belief in consent.

In its judgment, the Supreme Court stated that the accused "took advantage of proximity, surprise and the situation in which the victim found herself to carry out two sexual acts without consent, interrupting his actions when he realised that continuing would require overcoming opposition by force." The court added that it found no element to suggest Mina interpreted a manifestation of assent.

The ruling also confirmed the reduction of the compensation payable to the victim from 50,000 euros to 25,000 euros. Celta de Vigo had unilaterally terminated Mina’s contract in August 2023, when two years remained on his deal.