MADRID, 17 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Supreme Court (TS) has on the table several appeals against sentences for sexual crimes where the convicted have requested that the change made by the Organic Law of Comprehensive Guarantee of Sexual Freedom be taken into account, which has led to reductions in sentences, for what the Criminal Chamber is expected to rule on, also known as the ‘law of only yes is yes’ in the coming weeks.
The legal sources consulted by Europa Press indicate that it will be the first time that the high court will study a penal reform that has meant that the crime of sexual abuse practically disappears to be included in that of assault with a range of penalties where the minor is more lower than the one existing when there were two differentiated illegal acts.
Apart from the appeals against sentences handed down for sexual crimes, the sources explain that it is most probable that appeals will also reach the high court against the sentence revisions of already final sentences made by lower courts.
Since the law came into force, on October 7, judges and courts have already reviewed dozens of sentences, lowering at least 11 sentences for sexual abuse that have led to the release of five people, according to data collected by Europa Press.
The aforementioned sources indicate that the drop in the years in prison is due to the fact that in those cases where the sentence expressly stated that the convicted person should be given a lower sentence, there is no other choice than to make an automatic adjustment to the new lower sentence, which is minor.
