Spain forward Jenni Hermoso files legal complaint against Luis Rubiales

Spanish international footballer Jenni Hermoso has decided to file a legal complaint against Luis Rubiales, prosecutors have confirmed.

The Audiencia Nacional will file a complaint "as soon as possible", said the same sources, who added that the statement took place at the State Prosecutor's Office to protect the victim's privacy.

The complaint was made at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office itself only a few days ago. In her decree, the lieutenant prosecutor of the Audiencia Nacional decided to contact Hermoso in order to offer her the opportunity to take action.

"In view of the public statements made by Hermoso, the sexual act suffered by her and carried out by Mr. Rubiales was not consensual," stated the decree of the deputy prosecutor, which included phrases from the football player's own statement.

Some such as: "Far from it, his kiss was not consensual .... I felt vulnerable and a victim of aggression."

The Audiencia Nacional considered that "given the unequivocal nature of her statements" it was necessary to determine "their legal significance."

Possible penalties

Hence, the first decision was to contact her to offer her the possibility of filing a complaint. What happened could fall under Article 178 of the Penal Code, which provides for a prison sentence of one to four years for sexual assault for anyone who performs any act that infringes on the sexual freedom of another person without their consent.

The statute of limitations for the offence is five years. The key to this type of crime is to prove that there was no consent, although experts agree that without the complaint of the victim, the judicial process has little chance of success before a judge.