Two convicted of attempted murder after stabbing cyclist multiple times on a cycle path in Fuengirola

The incident took place at around 8pm on 22 August 2024 when the ruling states that the victim was cycling along the cycle path when he encountered the two defendants, who were standing on the path.

The cyclist asked them to move out of the way so that he could carry on. However, both refused and a verbal altercation ensued which escalated within a matter of seconds. The ruling considers it proven that they acted "with the intention of causing bodily harm" to the victim, "while accepting the possibility that this might result in death". They then pulled out the knives they were carrying and began stabbing him repeatedly.

In the case of the woman attacker, the court noted that she suffered from a "delusional disorder that partially affected her volitional faculties", a circumstance that would subsequently influence the sentence imposed.

The victim was stabbed multiple times in the abdomen which resulted in a perforated colon, among other injuries. The recovery process lasted 90 days. In addition, the victim was left with several scars as a result of the surgical procedure, which the forensic doctor assessed as causing minor cosmetic damage.

During the trial the judge highlighted the severity of the injuries, noting that, given their location, "had he not received immediate medical attention, he could have suffered from hypodermic-septic shock, which would have endangered his life". That conclusion proved decisive in determining that the events constituted the offence of attempted murder rather than bodily harm.

After the attack, the two accused left the scene. Their escape, however, was short-lived. A patrol from the Fuengirola Local Police managed to intercept them and seize several weapons. Among them was a "weapon with a metal handle and a single-edged blade shaped like a siren" which, as the ruling expressly states, is classified as a "prohibited weapon’"

During the hearing, both the man and the woman pleased guilty and the sentences proposed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and also endorsed by the private prosecutor. The judge noted that the plea was given "in person, freely and voluntarily" and all parties waived their right to appeal.

The main defendant was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for attempted murder and a further year for possession of a prohibited weapon.

 The woman received a reduced sentence as the court took into account the mitigating circumstance arising from her partial impairment of her mental health. She was sentenced to two years and six months’ imprisonment for attempted murder and a further six months for possession of a prohibited weapon.

In addition to their prison sentences, both must be held jointly liable for the civil liability arising from the assault. The ruling sets compensation at 6,825 euros for the injuries suffered by the victim, a further 5,000 euros for permanent after-effects and 583.39 euros for damage to the cycling kit he was wearing during the attack, to which the applicable statutory interest will be added. They must also bear half of the costs of the proceedings.