Rafa Mir Sentenced to 8½ Years in Prison Following Sexual Assault Conviction

Spanish footballer Rafa Mir has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison after a court in Valencia found him guilty of sexual assault and causing bodily harm in a high-profile case that has attracted widespread attention in Spain.

According to Reuters, the court handed the former Valencia, Sevilla, and Wolverhampton Wanderers striker a seven-year prison sentence for sexual assault and an additional 18 months for bodily harm linked to an incident that occurred in 2024.

The court also ordered Mir to pay €64,000 in compensation to the victim and imposed a lengthy restraining order. Judges reportedly based their decision on testimony they considered credible and consistent, supported by forensic and witness evidence presented during the trial.

Mir has continued to deny the allegations, maintaining that the encounter was consensual. However, the court ruled against the Spanish forward, marking a significant development in one of the most closely followed legal cases involving a professional footballer in recent years.

The verdict is not yet final and remains subject to appeal under Spanish law. Another footballer connected to the same case also received a prison sentence for related offences.

The development was first reported by Reuters, which detailed the court's ruling and the penalties imposed on the 29-year-old striker. Mir, who spent the 2025–26 season on loan at Elche from Sevilla, now faces an uncertain future as both his legal battle and football career enter a new phase.