A man is being tried in Almuñécar for having attacked a female judge and the public prosecutor with a wooden-handled awl in April 2013.

It was at 10.28h on the 23rd of April with the trial, where he was the claimant, had just begun. The trial was for a very minor offence; something that would have produced only a fine against the accused.

Suddenly, without uttering a word, the man, who was not on trial himself, stood up and launched himself at the presiding judge. He was brandishing a wood punch or awl; i.e., and instrument for making holes in leather, etc.

Before you could say, “I say, steady on!” he had the judge by the neck, with the ‘assault weapon’ against her throat.

Thanks to the rapid intervention by the Public Prosecutor, who tackled the aggressor – there ensued a brief struggle – how surreal can you get – in the court room, ending with the aggressor being disarmed.

So there you are, nearly four years down the line, L.R.S.V. will be back in the court room, but in the provincial court in the city of Granada on the 15th of February, facing four years in prison, if found guilty. The word “if” is probably superfluous in this case.

Editorial comment: No doubt the judge will have borrowed a riot-policeman’s body armour and the Public Prosecutor, wearing full, American-football kit, just in case...

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)