The trial is proceeding in private, excluding the presence of the public and the media, due to the nature of the charges concerning crimes against sexual freedom and self-determination.
The defendant faces charges of kidnapping and two counts of aggravated rape.
The incident occurred in the early hours of October 9, 2023.
The prosecution accuses the defendant of hiding near the victim’s residence, waiting for her to leave for work to force her into sexual intercourse.
According to the prosecution, around 5:30 AM, the defendant entered the victim’s vehicle from the rear with a carnival mask and, threatening her with a knife, forced her to move to the back seat, blindfolded her, and tied her hands.
The defendant then took the wheel, driving to an unspecified location where he demanded 30,000 euros from the victim. When she said she didn’t have the money, he coerced her into sexual acts.
Investigators state that the defendant then placed the victim in the trunk of the vehicle, drove for a few more minutes to a forested area, where he raped her before releasing her.
According to the charges, the defendant left the scene in the victim’s vehicle, abandoning it later in a street in Ovar. Shortly after the victim managed to leave the area, the defendant appeared in his own vehicle as if nothing had occurred and offered her a ride back to her home.
