Rafael Mir received an eight-and-a-half-year prison term after being convicted of sexual assault.
Former Wolves and Nottingham Forest striker Rafael Mir has been handed an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence following his conviction for sexual assault. Mir, aged 28 at the time, and his acquaintance Pablo Jara were taken into custody in September 2024 after two women filed complaints alleging they were assaulted at Mir's residence in Betera. At the time of their arrest, Mir's legal representative argued that the sexual contact was consensual and that Mir firmly denied the allegations made against him.
The Valencia court issued a statement on Monday confirming that Mir engaged in sexual assault against one of the women in both the swimming pool and bathroom of his home. The incident followed a night out where Mir and Jara encountered the women at a nightclub in Valencia. During his arrest, Mir was playing for Valencia on loan from Sevilla.
The court imposed a seven-year sentence on Mir for sexual assault and an additional one-year and six-month term for causing bodily harm. As part of the ruling, Mir was also ordered to pay compensation of 64,000 euros, equivalent to approximately £55,000, to the victim. Mir retains the right to challenge the verdict in a higher court.
Mir took to Instagram to express his disagreement with the court's decision, stating, 'I disagree with the ruling and we will appeal in the coming days. I continue to have faith in the justice system.' The forward has previously plied his trade at Wolves, Sevilla, Nottingham Forest, Las Palmas, and Huesca during his career.
Mir signed with Wolves from Valencia in 2018 but managed just four appearances for the club. He later moved to Sevilla in 2021, featuring in loan spells at Nottingham Forest, Las Palmas, and Huesca while with Wolves. Mir was also part of Spain's Olympic squad for the Tokyo Games. Currently, he plays for La Liga side Elche on loan from Sevilla.
Sevilla issued a formal statement emphasizing their respect for legal processes and their strong condemnation of violence, abuse, or sexual assault. The statement read, 'Sevilla expresses its utmost respect for judicial proceedings and expresses our firm and unequivocal condemnation of any type of violence, abuse, or sexual assault.'
Pablo Jara, Mir's friend, received a two-year sentence for sexually assaulting a second victim and an additional six months for an offense against moral integrity. Jara was also fined 6,280 euros, approximately £5,400.