Era already been convicted of robbery and sexual assault but now he has also been found guilty of the crime of slander: this is how Jhonatan Freddy Chalan Berrocal (39 year old Peruvian) was punished by the judge of the Court of Trento, Enrico Borrelli, another eight months and twenty days.
The story dates back to November 2018, when the Peruvian citizen he had met a 20-year-old at the bus stop in via Maccani, in Trento. After rejecting an initial approach, the girl had fled but the man had caught her and made her fall tripping her. At that point Berrocal took the opportunity to molest her, groping her private parts. Not happy, the man managed to steal the young woman’s cell phone and get 20 euros to give it back to her.
The accusations
Reports in hand, the victim had suffered head trauma and several bruises, as well as strong psychological trauma. For this matter, in January 2021, Berrocal was convicted of robbery and sexual assault with a sentence of two years and three months, in addition to compensation for damages and a fine of 540 euros. Conviction which was confirmed both on appeal and in Cassation. However, in an attempt to exonerate himself, during the trial the then 45-year-old had pointed the finger at the victim: claiming that it was the latter who had enticed him. Again according to the version provided by man, the 20-year-old allegedly kissed and groped him with the aim of stealing his wallet and cell phone. In other words, the accused had tried to completely turn the situation in his favor, even going so far as to cite as a witness a nun present in via Maccani during the attack.
The nun’s testimony
Paradoxically it was also thanks to testimony provided by the nun that the man’s story was denied in the courtroom. The nun, in fact, confirmed what her young woman had reported that she had asked her to alert the police immediately after suffering the attack.
This is how after the first trial another one began for slander, which took place in recent days in Trento. Hence the second sentence for Berrocal who at first instance was given another eight months and twenty days, as well as having to pay compensation of 2 thousand euros to the young victim. «The initiative to also denounce this last segment of this bitter affair – observes the victim’s lawyer Giuliano Valer – proved to be appropriate and necessary for the dutiful protection of the honorability of my client, not only outside the courtroom, but also inside. This – continues the lawyer – since it had immediately appeared intolerable that the accused could defend himself by accusing and slandering this young woman of theft, who was just returning home from a day of work”. Regarding the conviction for slander, Berrocal will still have the possibility to appeal.
