By Adegboyega Adeleye
Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio has been acquitted in a case involving the sharing of a sexually explicit video without the victims’ consent, after the women involved told a court in Gran Canaria that they had forgiven him.
According to Reuters, prosecutors subsequently dropped the charges against Asencio and reduced their sentencing requests for three other former Real Madrid youth players after the victims forgave the defendants.
The three former academy players, who were accused of recording and sharing sexual videos involving two teenage women, one of whom was underage, were sentenced to one year in prison. Their sentences were suspended on the condition that they commit no further offences during the suspension period.
Asencio was only accused of sharing the video and was cleared of the charge.
The development came a day after Asencio was fined €14,400 ($16,800) and banned from driving for eight months in a separate case after being convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Earlier on Thursday, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said the club had opened disciplinary proceedings against Asencio but confirmed that the defender would remain part of his plans while the matter was being resolved.
“Everything you do outside your professional sphere still reflects on Real Madrid and continues to damage the reputation of a club whose standing must not be undermined,” Mourinho said.
“I’m not happy. Everyone makes mistakes, but a series of mistakes is something different.”
Asencio has not featured for Real Madrid this season because of an injury, with Mourinho saying the defender is expected to remain sidelined for another couple of weeks.
The 23-year-old defender’s acquittal brings an end to the case against him over the alleged sharing of the video. The three other former Real Madrid youth players, however, received suspended prison sentences in connection with the recording and distribution of the videos.
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