Briefing
Santander, 10 September 2026 — The Sección Tercera of the Audiencia Provincial de Cantabria has sentenced a man to twelve years in prison sentence for repeated sexual abuse of two underage sisters. According to the regional news agency Europa Press the offences were committed while the children were in the defendant’s care; their mother regularly left them with him because both parents worked in the catering industry.
The court classified the offences as two continuing offences of sexual abuse of children under 13, involving the exploitation of a position of superiority, but did not convict the defendant of penetration because there was no objective physical corroboration. The panel based its ruling on the statements of the two victims and their mother, as well as forensic and psychological reports. The judges described the children’s accounts as consistent and credible; the defendant denied the allegations.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a restraining order and a more specific order barring the defendant from approaching the victims for eight years, as well as a judicial supervision measure or probation measure following his release, lasting seven years. The court also set civil damages of 30,000 euros for one victim and 20,000 euros for the other, to compensate for the non-material harm suffered and the resulting psychological damage, as reported.
The ruling is not yet final; it may be appealed to the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Cantabria . At the time of publication, no complete operative part of the judgment or official court press release was available; the information provided is based on the Europa Press report of 10 September 2026. Until the ruling becomes final, the presumption of innocence applies in the further proceedings; at the same time, the ruling’s practical effects already include measures to protect the victims.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).