Alves released from prison pending appeal after paying £860k bail

Dani Alves Released on Bail Pending Appeal of Rape Conviction

Brazilian footballer Dani Alves has been released from prison after paying a substantial bail of €1 million (approximately £860,000) while he awaits the outcome of his appeal against a rape conviction. The Spanish court granted Alves conditional release, requiring him to surrender his passports, wear an electronic monitoring device, and report regularly to authorities.

Alves had been held in pre-trial detention since January after being accused of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022. The former Barcelona player was found guilty and sentenced to four years and six months in prison. He has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the trial.

The footballer’s legal team had previously appealed for his release on bail, arguing that he did not pose a flight risk. However, the initial requests were denied due to concerns that Alves might flee Spain to avoid prosecution.

Prosecutors objected to Alves’ release, expressing concern that the risk of flight increased following his conviction. However, the court ultimately granted his release, citing factors that mitigated the flight risk, including his ties to Spain.

Alves’ lawyers are now preparing an appeal of the conviction, while prosecutors seek to increase his prison sentence. The appeal process could take several months, with the final outcome potentially reaching the Spanish Supreme Court.