In the early hours of the 8th of January, 2012, a young woman was attacked from behind in the centre of Granada.

The assailant attacked her with a sharp heavy object, knocking her senseless to the ground. He then dragged her behind a parked car and continued hitting her until, believing her dead, he left the scene.

Fortunately, a passersby soon found her and the prompt medical attention saved her life.

Just over 13 months later the case has reached trial, resulting in the man being acquitted of attempted murder, because of his mental condition, but remanded to a mental institution for a maximum of 20 years.

According to the forensic psychiatric report, the aggressor, 33-year-old, José Antonio M.N. “demonstrates a grave mental imbalance and delusional disorder, which, together with his limited and paranoid personality and the consumption of ‘toxic substances’ affects his hold on reality, thus control over his conduct.”

His ‘complete exemption on legal grounds’ means that his release depends on psychiatrists considering him sane at a later date, whereas if he had been given ‘partial exemption on legal grounds,’ and declared cured before the 20 years were up, he would have had to serve a prison sentence for the remaining period of those 20 years of psychiatric internment.

However, the aggressor will have to pay 177,060 euros in compensation to the victim.

(News: Metropolitan Area, Granada, Andalucia)