Tenerife Court Acquits Man in Carnival Teen Rape Case
A man accused of raping a 15-year-old girl during the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnivals was acquitted, with the court citing testimony that the girl asked a friend to conceal her age and a lack of evidence for violence.
The Provincial Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has acquitted a man accused of raping a teenage girl, who was under the care of the Canary Islands government. Police found them in a portable toilet during the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnivals in 2024.
The court's decision was partly based on the testimony of a friend. The friend said the complainant, who was 15 at the time, had asked her not to tell the 25-year-old accused that she was underage. Because of this, the accused claimed he always believed she was over 16.
Other young people who were with them in the Plaza de España also gave evidence. They all agreed that the man and the girl seemed to be enjoying themselves, kissing and taking photos. However, they noted that she was very drunk, and that at some point, they appeared to leave together willingly.
The prosecution had asked for a 15-year prison sentence and 15,000 euros in compensation for emotional damages. But the defense argued that the man should be acquitted because there was no proof he knew her age or that the sexual acts involved violence.
In her own statement, the alleged victim said she was very drunk and didn't remember much of what happened. She recalled a friend introducing her to the man. However, she couldn't remember if she told police, when they found them in the toilet, that she was an adult, that they were a couple, and that she didn't have her ID – claims the officers made.
She never intended to file a complaint herself. Instead, her father insisted on pressing charges after he identified the young man on social media.