The Lleida Court has sentenced a man to six years in prison for setting fire to his partner's apartment in Artesa de Segre, threatening her with death, and violating a restraining order. The events occurred in 2023 and the sentence is now final.
The case occurred after another court had already imposed restrictions on him to stay away from the victim. Despite this prohibition, the accused entered the dwelling in the early morning, set fire to several belongings in the entrance, and was ultimately convicted also for continued breach of a restraining order with the aggravating circumstance of recidivism.
The accused set fire to the apartment entrance after learning of the breakup
On July 20, 2023, the woman informed the accused of her intention to end the relationship. In the early morning hours of the following day, the man forced the apartment door, placed clothes and utensils in the entrance, and set them on fire with a lighter.
The fire caused damage to the dwelling. There were no injuries, and the fire did not affect other homes or common areas of the building.
The ruling states that the convicted man accepted the facts in an agreement of conformity, a circumstance that reduced the sentence initially sought by the Public Prosecutor's Office. The public ministry was seeking 11 years in prison.
The Court added five years for arson and one for recidivism
The sentence is broken down into five years in prison for the crime of arson and one year for continued breach of a restraining order with the aggravating circumstance of recidivism. In addition, the Court imposes 65 days of community service for threats in the context of gender-based violence.
He will also be prohibited from possessing weapons for two years. The sentence also imposes a prohibition on him from approaching within 300 meters of the victim and from communicating with her for three years.
Before these events, a court in Lleida had already sentenced him in July 2022 to a 12-month fine for breach of a restraining order. Later, a court in Balaguer convicted him in 2023 for domestic abuse and imposed another restraining order.
In financial terms, the Court orders that he must pay 6,000 euros to the victim and more than 17,000 euros to the owner of the apartment. The amount includes 2,251 euros for damages to the woman's belongings, 3,700 euros for moral damages, 17,363 euros to the owner of the dwelling, and court costs.