Spanish footballer and former Celta Vigo captain, Hugo Mallo will stand trial in July for alleged sexual assault of the woman who worked as Espanyol’s mascot Periquita in 2019.
The defender was previously due to appear in court at Barcelona’s Ciutat de la Justicia last year, but the case was postponed.
The alleged incident took place in April 2019, when Celta Vigo travelled to Catalonia to face the Periquitos at their Stage Front Stadium.
Footage showed the former captain – who was leading players onto the pitch grabbing the breasts’ of the mascot.
In her victim statement, the individual (who is referred to as ‘Ana’ but has upheld her right to anonymity) said that Mallo had ‘grabbed her breasts’ after reaching under her mascot suit.
‘When Hugo Mallo arrived (to greet) the mascots, he gave his hand to the (male) parakeet (Periquito) as is usually done, but when he reached Ms.
Ana, who at that time was playing the role of the (female) parakeet, he introduced his hands under the costume and touched her breasts,’ stated the victim’s initial complaint to the Catalonian police, Mossos d’Esquadra – made the day after the fixture in question.
According to Mail Online, the case was first deemed to constitute sexual assault in May 2021, further to an intervention by the Ninth Section of the Provincial Court of Barcelona, with a judge stressing that the footage made it clear that ‘something was happening’ with Periquita.
‘Although it seems to occur quickly, it lasts longer than the rest of the greetings made previously to the mascot, so we do see that something is happening with the mascot (Periquita) and the player, since the mascot moves, (she) takes away (her) hand from the player and stands behind the male mascot,’ the judge told the court.
‘And we can see from the position of the player that he may have incurred said touches.’
Through her lawyer, the victim is requesting the sentence reflected in article 181.1 of the Penal Code – a 24-month fine, which will go to the state.
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