Love Island star Calum Best is being tried today (January 9) in Spain over an alleged sex assault with the threat of a three-year prison sentence looming.
The 42-year-old and only son of football icon George Best has been summoned to court following an arrest at a famous beach club located in Ibiza. If the three trial judges convict him as charged, Spanish state prosecutors have demanded the maximum sentence of three years in jail.
Reality star Calum, who starred in Celebrity Love Island back in 2006 and is now the chairman of Dorking Wanderers FC’s women’s team, is denying any wrongdoing and is expected to plead innocent when he takes the stand. Calum was previously held in April 2022 over an incident at the O Beach Club but it was not made public at the time.
The popular beach club, which is in the Ibizan party resort of San Antonio, is owned by the TV personality’s pal Wayne Lineker, who is the brother of Match of the Day host and former England footballer, Gary. Calum’s alleged sex crime took place on the evening of April 22, 2022 according to a pre-trial indictment which was issued by Spanish state prosecutors.
(Image: Joan Llado / GTres / SplashNews.com)
The indictment, which consists of two pages, accuses the reality star of kissing a female tourist he had argued with moments earlier over photos she had taken. The indictment claims Best was “grabbing her hand and putting it on his privates, under his trousers, while he told her ‘Feel this.'”
Prosecutors claim that Best’s alleged actions were motivated by his aim of “satisfying his sexual desire”. The woman who accused Best of the incident is a British holidaymaker who attended the beach club with friends.
(Image: Joan Llado / GTres / SplashNews.com)
It has been reported that the woman left the venue in a state of “shock and confusion”. She also allegedly removed Best’s hand immediately when the ordeal took place.
It is now understood that the accuser will be expected to testify via video link as she’s been called to give evidence at Calum’s trial. In addition to the maximum jail sentence possible, Spanish state prosecutors also want Best served with a restraining order preventing him from going within 100 metres of the woman he is accused of targeting and trying to contact her for five years.
The Spanish state prosecutors also want him banned from working with minors for eight years if he is convicted as charged. Best’s fate will be decided by three professional judges rather than a jury as jurors are not used for sex crime trials in Spain. The trial is expected to begin and be finalised today.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
