Crime

Police accused of harassment of lesbian colleague to face trial

The three accused former officers at yesterday's hearing. | Alejandro Sepúlveda

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma05/03/2018 00:00

Three former members of the Palma police motorised unit will face trial in June on charges related to the "humiliation, disparagement and ridiculing" of a lesbian colleague, which is said to have spanned almost ten years.

At the pre-trial hearing yesterday, the prosecutor laid charges of crimes against moral integrity and administration of justice and of omission of duty, injury, false accusation, false testimony and sexual discrimination. The three officers, one of whom was the chief of the unit, face prosecutor demands for a total of 21 years and nine months imprisonment.

The unit chief, identified as R.E., was approached by the female officer in 2009, the harassment by then having been going on for two years. Instead of investigating her complaint and giving her protection, he said that she was the cause of the problem for being an "effing dyke". The situation worsened and she sought and got a transfer to another unit.

Seven years later, she related her story to a radio station. The names of the officers were not given during the radio interview - the two others are now identified as R.P. and A.J. - but the three officers decided to take revenge and discredit her. This all led to her having to undergo psychological treatment and take time off work.