Dani Alves found guilty of sexual assault and sentenced to four and a half years in prison

Brazilian football star Dani Alves has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in a Barcelona nightclub by a Spanish court.

The court sentenced Alves, 40, to four years and six months in prison. Despite denying any wrongdoing during the three-day trial, the court ruled that Alves assaulted his victim in the early hours of December 31, 2022. State prosecutors had asked for a nine-year sentence, while the victim's lawyers wanted 12 years.

Alves' defence requested an acquittal or, if found guilty, a one-year sentence plus 50,000 (£42,000) compensation for the victim. Former Barcelona and PSG player Alves has been in jail since January 20, 2023, after his bail requests were denied due to him being considered a flight risk. Brazil does not extradite its citizens when they are sentenced abroad. The ruling can be appealed.

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