Former president of Andalucía told to get ready for prison

Now a Seville court has rejected his pleas to have the prison sentence suspended while a request for a pardon is being processed. It says the crimes are too serious.

Griñán's sentence is for six years for his part in the so-called ERE fraud, where hundreds of millions of public money was allocated to firms in trouble in subsidies without scrutiny, often favouring political allies of those involved and, at other times, under very dubious circumstances. It was proven, however, that Griñán did not benefit personally from the misspending.

Separately, his lawyers continue to fight in the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court for the sentence to be quashed.