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Court rules Robinho must serve a nine-year prison sentence in his homeland after conviction

Court rules that former footballer Robinho must serve a nine-year prison sentence in his homeland of Brazil after conviction of gang rape.

The 40 year old, has been sentenced to nine years in prison with Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (BSCJ) making the decision after Italy requested his extradition in 2022.

Robinho, whose real name is Robson De Souza, was part of a group of six men convicted of assaulting a 22 year old Albanian woman in an Italian nightclub in 2013.

Despite his claims of innocence, the Supreme Court in Rome rejected his final appeal in January 2022. Robinho has been residing in Brazil for the past seven years.

It came with nine of the court’s 15 ministers voting in favour of the decision to incarcerate the footballer in Brazil.

Reports state that his legal representatives will ‘appeal to the BSCJ and to the Federal Supreme Court.

The extradition of native criminals is generally not allowed under the Brazilian constitution. If he had traveled outside of Brazil, he could have been arrested.

Judges in Brasilia ruled this week that he should serve his sentence in Brazil following a request from Italy.

Judges finished voting in less than a day, quick than expected after most Brazilian legal analysts thought the court’s decision to take days, possibly weeks.

The decision came on the same day a Spanish court also decided that Brazilian Dani Alves could leave prison if he pays a bail of one million euros ($1.1 million) and hands over his passports while awaiting the appeal of his conviction for raping a woman in Barcelona.

He will remain free pending a possible appeal against the ruling, lawyers said.

During his appeal, Robinho, who was 28 and playing for AC Milan at the time, admitted to having ‘contact’ with the woman, but he claimed it was consensual.

In December 2020, the Milan Court of Appeals upheld his original sentence and stated that Robinho had ‘belittled’ and ‘brutally humiliated’ the victim.

Intercepted phone calls between Robinho and those allegedly involved in the assault were crucial evidence in his initial conviction.

Robinho had said: ‘It makes me laugh because I’m not interested, the woman was drunk, she doesn’t even know what happened.’

He completed a move back to Santos in 2020, receiving a contract that only offered minimum wage, but due to public backlash regarding his signing, he was compelled to terminate the contract, as a key sponsor withdrew its backing for the club.

Lawyer Jacopo Gnocchi, who represented the victim, said he and his client were satisfied by the Brazil court’s ruling.

“We believe that this is the fair conclusion of a case that took place in Italy, with assurances for all the defendants who were then found guilty,” Gnocchi told Brazilian news website UOL.

“We respected and we understood that the Brazilian Constitution does not allow the extradition (of its own citizens), but that does not change the fact that when the sentence is final it is fair… that the sentence is applied.”

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Robinho said in an interview with TV Record which was aired on Sunday that racism was to blame for his conviction in Italy.

“I played only four years in Italy and I got tired of seeing stories of racism. Unfortunately that exists to this day. (The rape case) was in 2013, now we are in 2024. The same people who don’t do anything against it (racism) are the ones who sentenced me,” Robinho said.

Federal prosecutor Hindemburgo Chateaubriand reminded the judges during the session of some audio recordings which had been obtained by Italian authorities in which Robinho discussed the case with pals.

“I can’t even say all he said because it would be too vulgar for this court,” Chateaubriand said.

Brazilian media published some of those recordings in 2023.

“We will punch her in her face. You will punch her in the face and say; ‘What did I do to you?’” Robinho tells a friend in one of the excerpts, during which he claims he did not take part of the rape.

In another recording, Robinho says “that is why I am laughing, I don’t care at all.”

A year after he joined Premier League club Man City in 2008, he was also accused of rape during a night out in Leeds, but police didn’t file any charges.

ROBINHO’S CAREER:

Youth career
1996–2002 – Santos

Senior career
2002–2005 – Santos – 180 games (81 goals)
2005–2008 – Real Madrid – 137 games (35 goals)
2008–2010 – Manchester City – 53 games (16 goals)
2010 → Santos (loan) – 22 games (11 goals)
2010–2015 – AC Milan – 144 games (32 goals)
2014–2015 → Santos (loan) – 41 games (17 goals)
2015–2016 – Guangzhou Evergrande – 11 games (3 goals)
2016–2017 – AtlĂŠtico Mineiro – 109 games (38 goals)
2018–2019 – Sivasspor – 30 games (12 goals)
2019–2020 – Ä°stanbul Başakşehir – 43 games (4 goals)
2020 – Santos – 0 games (0 goals)
Total – 771 games (250 goals)

International career
2004 – Brazil U23 – 8 games (3 goals)
2003–2017 – Brazil – 100 games (28 goals)


Rape and sexual abuse helplines

For Women

NHS 

Help after rape and sexual assault

Sexual Abuse Referral Centres – Find a SARC

Sexual violence is a crime, no matter who commits it or where it happens.  Don’t be afraid to get help.

SARCs are specialist medical and forensic services for anyone who has been raped or sexually assaulted.  They aim to be one-stop service, providing the following under one roof: medical care and forensic examination following assault/rape and, in some locations, sexual health services. Medical Services are free of charge and provided to women, men, young people and children.

Rape Crisis (England and Wales)

Helpline: 0808 500 2222 (24/7)

www.rapecrisis.org.uk

Want to talk?

Support outside England and Wales

Rape Crisis England & Wales is the charity working to end sexual violence and abuse.  We provide specialist information and support to all those affected by rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and all other forms of sexual violence and abuse in England and Wales.  We are also the membership organisation for 39 Rape Crisis centres.  Together, we aim to educate, influence and make change.

Victim Support

Supportline:   08 08 16 89 111

Rape and sexual assault

Our services are confidential, free and available to anyone who’s been raped or sexually assaulted, now or in the past. We can help, regardless of whether you have told the police or anyone else about the attack.  Our volunteers can visit you at home (if you want us to, and if doing so will not put you at further risk) or somewhere else if you prefer. If you don’t want to see anyone face-to-face, you can also talk to us on the ‘phone, either at one of our local offices or at the national Victim Supportline.

The Survivors Trust

Helpline:  0808 801 0818

Text:  07860 022956

www.thesurvivorstrust.org 

Find support

Rape and sexual abuse can happen to anyone regardless of their age, gender, race, religion, culture or social status.  Living with the consequences of rape and sexual abuse can be devastating. We believe that all survivors are entitled to receive the best possible response to their needs whether or not they choose to report.

Women’s Aid Federation

www.womensaid.org.uk

Chat to usWomen’s Aid is the national domestic violence charity that helps up to 250,000 women and children every year.  We work to end violence against women and children.

For Men

Survivors UK â€“ Male Rape and Sexual Abuse Support

www.survivorsuk.org 

National online helpline

We are here for any man, boy or non-binary person who has ever experienced unwanted sexual activity (such as words, images or touch).  We can chat with you here through webchat, or by texting.

There’s no pressure or judgement when you contact us – you get to stay in control.  You can reach out as little or often as you like.  You may not be sure if we’re the right service for you. No problem, contact us anyway, and we’ll do our best to help or point you in the right direction.

Rape Crisis (England and Wales)

Helpline:  0808 500 2222 (24/7)

www.rapecrisis.org.uk

Want to talk?

Rape Crisis England & Wales is the charity working to end sexual violence and abuse.  We provide specialist information and support to all those affected by rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and all other forms of sexual violence and abuse in England and Wales.  We are also the membership organisation for 39 Rape Crisis centres. Together, we aim to educate, influence and make change.

Rape, Sexual Abuse & Personal Safety Abroad 

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Rape & Sexual Assault Abroad – Returning to the UK

Support for British Nationals Abroad

Rape and sexual assault can happen to women and men of all ages and backgrounds. While most visits abroad are trouble-free, we are becoming more aware of people being sexually assaulted whilst they are overseas.  Sexual assault is a very traumatic experience whenever and wherever it happens, but the trauma can be made even more difficult to deal with when it happens abroad.  We will be as helpful as we can to anyone who tells us they have had sex against their wishes or been attacked by someone wanting sex.

Rape Crisis Network Europe

www.rcne.com 

RCNE is the network of European rape crisis centres.  We aim to make sure that anyone who experiences sexual violence can get the help they need.  We are active in influencing policy, standards and legislation through European governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

All member centres share a ‘survivor-centred’ and anti-discriminatory approach.

Personal Safety Advice Abroad

When travelling abroad, most people are keen to relax and unwind. Travellers, tourists and foreign businessmen and women can be prime targets for criminals, however. In order to minimise stress on your holiday or trip, take time to plan your personal safety strategy in advance. From keeping your valuables safe to avoiding violence, a little forethought may save you from becoming a victim of crime.

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