Brazil's Dani Alves to stand trial for sexual assault in Spain

Photo courtesy of Clauber Cleber Caetano, PR

Article courtesy of Joan Faus, Reuters

Barcelona. - Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves will face trial in Spain on charges of sexual assault of a woman in a Barcelona nightclub last December, a Spanish court said on Tuesday.

Alves was arrested on Jan. 20 and has been held in a prison outside Barcelona. If found guilty he could face a jail sentence of four to 15 years. He has maintained that he had consensual sex with his accuser.

In a document signed by three judges the investigation court No. 15 in Barcelona, which is yet to set a date for the proceedings to begin, said there were sufficient grounds for Alves to stand trial, following requests by the public prosecutor and the woman's lawyer.

In August, judges formally indicted Alves after finding evidence of wrongdoing by the 40-year-old player.

"The statements of the alleged victim and the witnesses statements and experts' reports that appear in the case must be considered as sufficient for this purpose, without prejudice to the final outcome following the plenary phase," the court said.