Canary Islands High Court Upholds 4.5-Year Sentence in Fatal Tenerife Altercation

The High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) has upheld a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Y.B.B. following a fatal altercation in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The court rejected an appeal from the victim’s family, who had argued for an eight-year sentence by claiming the attacker used an "abuse of superiority."

The incident took place on July 26, 2024, at a business on Méndez Núñez Street. The victim’s legal team argued that the attack should be classified more severely, but the TSJC agreed with the original ruling from the Provincial Court, finding no evidence of a power imbalance that would justify a harsher penalty.

Court records show that the confrontation involved a physical struggle between both men. Despite the victim’s age, he was taller and physically robust, and he had actively participated in the fight—even headbutting the accused. Because of this, the judges concluded that the attacker did not have a tactical or physical advantage. The crime remains classified as aggravated assault combined with reckless homicide.

The victim died the following day from a skull fracture after falling. Evidence presented in court, including security footage, showed that the attacker had been consuming alcohol and drugs before the incident. The court also noted that the perpetrator had a prior criminal record for attempted homicide dating back to 2010.

While the court refused to increase the prison term, it confirmed the financial compensation for the victim’s family: 140,000 euros for his widow and 32,000 euros for his daughter, plus legal interest. With this decision, the TSJC has finalized the legal proceedings, concluding that the evidence does not support a more severe criminal charge.