The Granada Appeals Court has backed the Motril’s law court over its sentencing of a man to not talk with his neighbour for 120 days.

A man and a woman (neighours in a block of flats in Motril) had a heated argument at the block entrance last year.

“Don’t throw any more rubbish down the ojo de patio,” (central patio shaft) he said, waving his finger in her face. She in reply said, “Sue me if you dare.” He said that he wasn’t going to bother going through a law court and told here “to get ready for it,” as she got into the lift.

In the end it was the woman who took the man to court for having threatened her. The trial was held in Motril and the man was sentenced to not being able to speak to her for 120 days and a fine of 160 euros.

He decided to appeal, which is why it ended up in the Appeals Court in Granada. His defence lawyer had based the appeal on the fact that a Public Prosecutor was not involved in the trail; therefore there was no public prosecution. Furthermore, at the time that the incident took place, he was usually on the beach with his wife.

Furthermore, when the claimant was asked whether she wanted to see the accused punished, she replied that she did not, but merely wanted official recognition of what had taken place and that he would no longer approach her.

But there appears to be a little prior discord because she had apparently taken all her neighbours to court to force them to remove the awnings on their windows – therefore she was not exactly the most popular person in the apartment block.

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