Former Barcelona and Sevilla defender Dani Alves is set to go on trial for rape and sexual assault in February, at which point he will have spent a year in custody due to his being a flight risk. The trial process has been compromised by his mother though, who has reportedly leaked pictures of the alleged victim.
The case has been ongoing since last January, when Alves handed himself into the police for arrest, following an incident in a Barcelona nightclub. He maintains his innocence, but has changed his testimony on four occasions. His ex-wife and mother have vouched for him, claiming publicly that he is innocent.
Alves’ mother, Lucia Alves, could find herself in legal trouble though. El Periodico say that she has released a video where the victim can be seen dancing with friends and celebrating a birthday. The video is not related to the incident itself, but is an old recording.
During the video, with material obtained from social media of the victim, a narration attacks her, criticising her nightlife habits in an attempt to make out Alves as innocent. The victim may well be underage in some of the material, and her mother, who is also set to testify as a witness, is also in some of the videos. It has also been spread through outlets in Brazil, say Sport.
The judge in the case had ordered that the victim be kept anonymous, in line with both her rights, and judicial process, which could not be compromised as a result. It goes without mentioning this could do enormous mental damage and lead to online harassment too. The criminal punishment for ‘revelation of secrets’ can be between three months and a year in prison, or six months to a year’s fine, dependent on income. If it is categorised as a lighter offence, then it could result in a fine of one to three months of average income.
Since, the victim has decided to take legal action against Lucia Alves and the outlets that spread her image.
