Spanish footballer Rafa Mir of Elche was sentenced on Monday to eight and a half years in prison for rape and assault, the High Court of Justice of the Valencia region announced.

"The Valencia Court sentenced the Elche CF footballer, formerly of Valencia CF, to eight and a half years in prison. He was tried on May 28 for a sexual assault offence (an offence that also includes rape in Spain, editor's note) and an offence of causing injury," the court stated.

A second defendant, a friend of the footballer, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for sexual assault and "offenses against moral integrity".

The court ordered Rafa Mir, who claimed he was innocent, to pay the victim €64,000 in compensation.

The events took place on September 1, 2024 at the player's home in the Valencian municipality of Bétera, after Rafa Mir and his friend met two women in a nightclub.

The 28-year-old player was arrested on September 2, 2024, following a complaint from the two women, and spent two nights in custody before being released.

He admitted to having had sexual relations, but claimed that they were consensual.

His club at the time, Valencia, did not fire him but sanctioned him with a two-match suspension and imposed a fine.

Trained at Valencia, the striker played at Wolverhampton in England, then went on loan to several clubs.

He then signed for Sevilla FC, with whom he played in European competitions, before being loaned to Elche. He represented Spain at youth international level.

AFP