Gibraltarians treated them ‘almost like criminals ’Four Maritime Guardia Civil intercepted

Four Maritime Guardia Civil were intercepted and held for two hours by the British authorities on Gibraltar on Monday while they were in pursuit of a boat thought to be involved in drug trafficking.Reports indicate that the Spanish Minister for the Interior, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, then had a conversation with the Gibraltar First Minister, Peter Caruana, and this resulted in the four agents being allowed to return to Spain. El Mundo reports that Rubalcaba apologised to Caruana for the ‘incorrect action’ of the Guardia Civil. It seems that they had followed the zodiac launch they were chasing into Gibraltar Port ‘in the heat of the chase’.
Two men in the zodiac were also questioned on the rock.The four men held say that they had to give statements to the authorities on the Rock, and that their firearms and the launch were impounded for a time. These items have now been returned to Spain. El Mundo reports the four say have been very affected by the experience, claiming that the Gibraltarians treated them ‘almost like criminals’. They will now be called to give an explanation to their Spanish superiors.

Police are investigating how two men attempted to force Grace Preston, 15, into their car in broad daylight.

Police are investigating how two men attempted to force Grace Preston, 15, into their car in broad daylight.The English girl, from Woking, was walking home from school at 2.30pm when two men confronted her outside her local supermarket.The ‘Spanish-looking’ men in their late 20s, ran around in front of her as she walked along the pavement, but she managed to run into crowded shopping centre Las Jarales and hide in a bar. one of the men had chased after her, but didn’t spot her cowering in Harley’s Bar.

“You never think it’s going to be your son or daughter until it happens to you.”
“It was terrifying, and I just fled,” she explained. “I ran into a local bar and noticed that the man followed me and looked inside to see if he could find me.”

Grace, who attends the European Sixth Form College in Calahonda, then called her parents who were in the supermarket next door.They straight away called the police, who are now investigating the case.Grace’s father Quentin Preston, an architect, was shocked by the attack. He said: “You never think it’s going to be your son or daughter until it happens to you.“But they are teenagers. We can’t watch them all the time,” he added.The architect, who has lived in La Cornisa with his wife Helen for the last six years, insists that young people should not go out alone.
He is pleased that Grace’s school is taking new measures to protect its pupils. Barbara Dyson, deputy director, confirmed: “We have told the students not to go home alone and to note down the number plates of suspicious cars.”
She added that the school had also appealed to the town hall for more security at home time.Teenager Amy Fitzpatrick, 15, went missing nearly two years ago from the very same area. She has still not been found. More alarmingly, it is the second attempted abduction to have taken place in Mijas Costa on the same day.
“Arabic-looking” man attempted to force a 19-year-old English girl into his car later that night.The incident happened on the Avenida Espana, a major thoroughfare, at 10pm.Local barmaid, Rachel Jones, 19, revealed that her English friend, 19, had been walking up to see her boyfriend in Calahonda. “This guy grabbed her and tried to pull her into the car, but she smacked him in the face and managed to prize herself free and run off, while the guy fled in his car.”Two weeks ago two teenage boys were also targeted in nearby Riviera del Sol in broad daylight.

Four attempted teenage kidnappings over the past month in Calahonda.

Fortunately, in each case the victims have managed to escape the clutches of their assailants in the nick of time.However, the mental damage will long linger in the minds of the young victims and their distraught families. Most frightening of all is the attempted abduction of 15-year-old Grace Preston. On a routine walk home from school, two men attempted to snatch her off the street. It is a tribute to Grace’s quick-thinking and sheer bravery that she managed to flee and hide from these sick people. For it doesn’t bear thinking about what may have happened. It is almost, exactly two years since the disappearance of Irish teen Amy Fitzpatrick, and fears still persist regarding the safety of the Costa del Sol’s young, vulnerable youths.

man allowed himself to be stripped off by the dancers in the full view of a number of young girls who were watching the show close to the stage.

Alicante prosecution service is investigating an event organised by a motorbike club in Pilar de la Horadada earlier this month which included exotic dancers and a striptease held in front of children. El Mundo reports that it was subsidised by the local Town Hall, who provided the marquee for the event.It was held by the Moto Club 12+1 on 15th November and brought together more than 3,000 people, including one man who allowed himself to be stripped off by the dancers in the full view of a number of young girls who were watching the show close to the stage.Another person who was there told El Mundo that all the children who attended the event were accompanied by their parents, and a warning was given to the parents over the microphone when the striptease was about to start.The Town Hall has come under harsh criticism from the opposition over the issue, and is now considering withdrawing its subsidy for future events. The Moto Club 12+1 said they have received no complaints from any of those who attended.

Costa del Sol Hospital in Marbella child eating cake which had been made with vodka and marijuana

three year old girl was admitted to the Costa del Sol Hospital in Marbella last Sunday night after eating cake which had been made with vodka and marijuana.
There are contradictory versions about exactly what happened, but it is clear that the Local Police received an emergency call on Sunday from Nueva Andalucía. Once in the property they called an ambulance, and the child is now back home after undergoing detoxification treatment. Local police have arrested two women in relation with the case, one is a family member to the child, and the other is said to be a friend. They are expected to appear in court shortly.

Police in Málaga have shot dead a 54 year old

Police in Málaga have shot dead a 54 year old unemployed labourer, Antonio S.F., after he had fired at them with a hunting rifle, injuring one agent seriously, and another less so.The National Police were called to the scene in the Santa Rosalia district of Málaga city on Wednesday evening on reports of a possible case of domestic violence and found that the man had already injured two people. He had stabbed his daughter and her boyfriend.Neighbours told the La Opinión de Málaga newspaper that the aggressor, known locally as ‘El Manzanillas’, was a very good person, but who had fallen into depression some months ago, and had not accepted that his daughter had left her previous boyfriend some four or five months ago

72 year old man was found hanging by the neck at his home in the Almería village of Cóbdar

72 year old man was found hanging by the neck at his home in the Almería village of Cóbdar on Thursday morning, who it appears committed suicide after killing his wife and brother. It’s understood from EFE that the 80 year old brother had a disability and lived with the couple at their home.There’s little information on what happened, but it’s believed that Antonio N.C. first killed his wife, Herminia, aged 67, and then his brother, before committing suicide. The Civil Guard found the three bodies after a phone call was made to emergency services at around 8am.Cóbdar is a small village of some 200 inhabitants 76 kms from the provincial capital.

Santiago Mainar, the forestry worker accused and found guilty of killing Miguel Grima, the Mayor of the town of Fago

Santiago Mainar, the forestry worker accused and found guilty of killing Miguel Grima, the Mayor of the town of Fago, has been sentenced to twenty years and nine months in prison. The prosecutor had asked for just three months more for the killing and the illegal possession of firearms.The accused was told the verdict in hospital in Zaragoza where he was admitted last Tuesday after a suspected overdose of pills, although his family who have visited say he has denied trying to commit suicide.
He will also have to pay 105,000 € in compensation to the victim’s family.
The court case was heard in the Huesca provincial court last month, and the murder has achieved widespread coverage in the Spanish media since it took place in January 2007. Mainar at first admitted the crime, but two days later denied it in court, and in his last statement, made on November 25, he continued to defend his innocence.

Torrevieja shotgun fired in the street

young man brought panic to Torrevieja on Friday by firing a shotgun in the street. It happened at 1020am in the centre of the town in Calle San Pascual and Calle Villa de Madrid.The local man fired several shots into the air causing no injuries but sending pedestrians in the area running for cover.More than twenty police and civil guards, some of them with pistols in hand took part in the operation to capture the man who is said to suffer mental problems. He was first taken to the Civil Guard barracks and then later transferred to a health centre.

76 kilos of hashish hidden in the airbag of their car.

Police in Madrid have arrested two people who were found to have 76 kilos of hashish hidden in the airbag of their car.There were ‘acorns’ of hashish were also hidden in the side back panels of the car.Police had been following the car since Granada, and were aware that the traffickers were using a second advanced vehicle to advise the presence of any controls.Police followed the cars before intercepting when they headed to a district in the north of the capital. Those arrested had used a sophisticated electronic system which was activated by remote control to gain access to the drugs.

eight Spaniards, six men and two women, all aged between 20 and 45, have been arrested in Santa Pola, Alicante for growing and then selling marihuana

eight Spaniards, six men and two women, all aged between 20 and 45, have been arrested in Santa Pola, Alicante for growing and then selling marihuana. Five kilos of the drug was recovered by the Guardia Civil in the operation and they note that one of those detained kept the drug in shoe boxes, classified by its quality. Three homes in Elche were also searched as part of the operation and precision scales and a sum of cash seized.

British man and woman, both in their 50’s have been arrested at the El Altet airport

British man and woman, both in their 50’s have been arrested at the El Altet airport in Alicante after they were found to be carrying 1,540 grams of cocaine.
The two are named only with initials in reports, but the man is known to be 53 year old A.M., and the woman 57 year old A.G.The arrest, on charges of a crime against public health, took place at about 1pm last Friday December 4th in the arrivals terminal of the airport. The drugs were found hidden in the rucksack that the woman was carrying while the man also had two packets of the drug packed with his belongings.
The couple will appear in court shortly.

Alleged Mafia Busts Across Southern Italy possible Costa connection

In three separate and unrelated sweeps across Italy police have arrested more than 100 suspected mobsters and seized $360 million in assets allegedly implicating the Parisi clan from the Sacra Corona Unita or Puglian Mafia, the Cosa Nostra or Sicilian Mafia, and the Somma-La Marca clan from the Camorra or Neapolitan Mafia as reported by Adnkronos. The largest bust involved the arrest of 74 alleged members and associates of the Parisi clan, including politicians and businessmen, in the city of Bari as reported by Nicole Winfield for The Associated Press:The 48-year-old head of the clan, Savino Parisi, was arrested overnight along with his closest associates. They are accused of attempted murder, drug trafficking, loan-sharking, interfering with the bidding process for public contracts and money laundering.

Spanish lawyer has disappeared along with an estimated €5 million of client’s money

British expats are amongst 26 investors who fear the worst after a Spanish lawyer has disappeared along with an estimated €5 million of client’s money. The lawyer in question Jose Luis Maseda was handling transactions for the purchase of new holiday homes in the Costa del Sol.Maseda, who speaks fluent English, is believed to have handled the money, whilst advising his clients to invest in a number of suspect apartment developers across the south of Spain.One development that Maseda is thought to have dealt with is the controversial golf resort in Antequera, which is currently under investigation.The lawyer’s Benalmadena based company Eurobrokers has now closed and Spanish police have confirmed that they are looking into a series of allegations, which date back more than five years.Detective Juan Martin, who is leading the investigation, said “As the investigation goes on, more people are coming forward saying they have lost money, and Maseda´s name is mentioned.”

Simone Castello was arrested in Archena, some 24 kms from Murcia City

9 people were arrested in Palmermo for links to the Sicilian mafia's former boss of bosses.A suspect has been arrested in Murcia in connection with an operation by police in Italy against the Sicilian mafia which saw nine people taken into custody in the island’s capital, Palermo. An eleventh arrest warrant was issued for another suspect who is already serving time in prison.All 11 are believed to have provided help to the Sicilian mafia’s former ‘boss of bosses’, Bernardo Provenzano, during the 43 years he was on the run. He was arrested in 2006.The Murcia suspect is named by EFE as Simone Castello, a 60 year old who had moved to the Region and set up an import and export company of fruit and vegetables with links to Sicily. It’s valued at 2.5 million € and it’s understood the company’s headquarters were sealed by National Police as part of the operation.He was arrested in Archena, some 24 kms from Murcia City, early on Tuesday.

kidnap in Mijas

Two men, reported as German, have been arrested by the Civil Guard on suspicion of plotting a kidnap in Mijas, allegedly planning to target a family in the jewellery industry. Diario Sur reports that the husband trades in jewels and diamonds.
Officers were called out to the family home earlier this week after the wife, noted by Sur as a foreigner, reported that she had noticed someone following her that day and had then seen a suspicious car parked outside her house. The Civil Guard located the vehicle nearby shortly after arriving at the property and found suspicious items in a search of the two suspects’ car, including an electric defence weapon and surveillance equipment.The wife recognised one of the suspects as the man who had been following her, and both she and her husband identified him as the person they had reported to police in the summer over suspicions that he had been keeping the family under watch. They are understood to have told officers on that occasion that they were being extorted.

50 violent robberies across Alicante’s Marina Baixa and Marina Alta

Civil Guard have solved a string of 50 violent robberies across Alicante’s Marina Baixa and Marina Alta with the arrest of 9 people across the border with Valencia, in Gandia and Beniarjó. All the gang members, apart from a woman from Honduras, are Kosovar Albanians.The arrests took place this Tuesday when the six properties used by the gang were searched by officers from the Civil Guard, who seized a sawn-off shotgun, two pistols and 17,000 € in cash. A large amount of stolen items were recovered, including laptop computers, jewellery and watches, cameras and video cameras.EFE notes that cocaine and cannabis were also found on the premises.

Prostitutes in Sevilla are set to jump to the top of the council housing lists under new legislation from the City Hall

Prostitutes in Sevilla are set to jump to the top of the council housing lists under new legislation from the City Hall. The new legislation considers the prostitutes as victims and considers the best way to get them off the streets is by encouraging them to chose alternatives. The City Hall is carrying out a study into problem, and drawing up a map to show the districts of risk in the city, which will be updated every six months.New information advertising campaigns are being started but the main change in the legislation is that the prostitutes, be they female, male or transsexual will not be fined, but their clients will be. Fining the client is a departure to the methods chosen in other Spanish cities such as Barcelona, Lleida and Granada, and any premises in Sevilla found to be making money from prostitution will lose their licence.It’s hoped that this will eventually lead to an end to street prostitution and for those forced into the activity finding other ways of generating an income, and hence the decision to make them priority cases for council housing.Mayor of Sevilla, Alfredo Sánchez Monteseirín, presented the details of the new legislation, and said to those who described prostitution as the oldest profession in the world, that in fact it was the oldest form of slavery.

Spanish men captive in a house on an urbanisation in La Cala del Moral

Civil Guard are seeking a gang of kidnappers who held two Spanish men captive in a house on an urbanisation in La Cala del Moral last week, before leaving them there bound hand and foot when they realised they had made a mistake.The kidnappers, reported by Diario Sur as foreign, were armed with guns fitted with silencers when they arrived at the property on the afternoon of Monday 23rd November, demanding the payment of 1 million € to release their captives. Their victims insisted that they had no money and their assailants finally realised they had mistaken their target, making their escape in a getaway car driven by a third man who was waiting outside.
The two captives were left tied up when the kidnappers fled, but managed to escape their bonds with the help of a knife and contact emergency services for help.

Arrest in Málaga, Sevilla and Madrid of 9 members of a drugs network which smuggled cocaine into the country from South America

investigation launched by the Organised Crime and Drugs Squad on the Costa del Sol has resulted in the arrest in Málaga, Sevilla and Madrid of 9 members of a drugs network which smuggled cocaine into the country from South America. National Police said 20 kilos of cocaine were seized in the police operation.Led by two people from Nigeria, the network used couriers to bring the drugs in through Spanish airports hidden inside pictures and other items in their luggage. It’s understood the couriers were recruited by Spanish members of the network and were paid between 4,000 and 6,000 €.Officers also recovered 3,400 € in cash.

730 cases of corruption currently open in the Spanish judiciary

total of 730 cases of corruption currently open in the Spanish judiciary, 594 judicial proceedings and 136 investigations opened by the prosecutors’ office.
The Socialist party is the one most affected. The PSOE has 264 cases, the PP 200, 43 against the Canary Islands Coalition, 30 against the Catalan group, Convergencia i Unió, 24 against the Partido Andalucista, 20 against left wingers IU, and 17 against the now defunct GIL party which was based in Marbella. The remaining cases come from Unión Mallorquina, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, the Bloque Nactionalista Galego and the PNV Basque Nationalists.The number represents about 1% of the total number of 66,000 councillors and mayors across the country.The numbers were given in Congress on Wednesday by the Attorney General, Cándido Conde-Pumpido, who in answer to a Partido Popular question, said the data showed that the judiciary was working against all political parties, He ended his statement with a call for calm from the public.

Arrested the two alleged Czech hit men who are accused of killing the Mayor of Polop

Arrested the two alleged Czech hit men who are accused of killing the Mayor of Polop, Alejandro Ponsoda, outside his home on the night of October 19 2007.It takes the number of people arrested in the case to five, three of whom have already been sent to prison on remand by the judge.The two alleged hitmen were arrested in Benidorm and La Cala de Finestrat, and had been linked to one of those detained, Raúl Montero Trevejo who already has drug trafficking charges against him. It’s thought the group planned the crime in a meeting held in an alternative nightclub, and that the murder was carried out following the Mayor’s failure to support a real estate project.

140 kilos of cocaine brought into port in Tarragona on containers of bananas imported from Ecuador

Three suspects have been arrested in Valencia after the discovery by the Civil Guard of more than 140 kilos of cocaine brought into port in Tarragona on containers of bananas imported from Ecuador. It’s understood the cargo was brought in on a ship flying under the flag of Malta and was bound for a company in Valencia, leading detectives to the arrest in Valencia of a Spanish woman and two men from Colombia.The Civil Guard began their investigation in mid-October, saying in a statement released this weekend that documentation linking the suspects to the imported containers was found in searches of their homes. Officers also found more than 4,000 € in cash, precision weighing scales and small quantities of cocaine prepared ready for sale.All three have been remanded to prison after bail was refused by the judge.

Spanish Civil Guard incursions a violation of British sovereignty

British Embassy in September described Civil Guard incursions as a violation of British sovereigntyIt’s been revealed by EFE this Sunday, that, following two incidents this September, the UK asked Spain to stop Civil Guard ‘incursions’ into waters considered to belong to Gibraltar, considering them as a violation of British sovereignty. The incidents concerned were on 4th and 7th September, when Civil Guard patrol boats seen within the Rock’s 3 mile perimeter were asked to depart after the Spanish officers reportedly failed to justify their presence with a valid explanation.The British Embassy in Madrid said in a note sent to Spain’s Foreign Ministry on the 18th of that month that such incursions are a cause for deep concern and, as a violation of British sovereignty over the waters, are unacceptable. As EFE quotes, the Embassy referred to the incidents as going against the ‘positive spirit of cooperation’ shown by the historic visit to the Rock of Spain’s Foreign Minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, on 21st July as part of the three-way talks on Gibraltar.

HMS Scimitar was using Flag No.1 during gunnery practice _ not the Spanish national flag.

"HMS Scimitar was using Flag No.1 during gunnery practice _ not the Spanish national flag. Flag No.1 is traditionally used on gunnery targets due to its high visibility. However, we recognize its similarity to the Spanish national flag and will use an alternative marker during gunnery practice in this area in the future," a ministry spokesman in London said on condition of anonymity in line with government policy.
When a Spanish Civil Guard patrol boat approached the British vessel, the sailors in it quickly pulled the buoy out of the water, covered up the machine guns it had been using to fire at the marker, and warned through a bullhorn that the Spanish boat was in its way and head to leave, the newspaper El Mundo reported.Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said the British ambassador has promised "a thorough investigation and to demand the corresponding accountability, taking the necessary measures so that an incident like this does not happen again."

Murder of Alejandro Ponsoda

Several members of the Unidad Central Operativa (UCO), a sub-unit of the Guardia Civil, have confirmed that they arrested three individuals last Thursday in connection with the murder of Alejandro Ponsoda, the former Mayor of Polop. At least two of the suspects arrested in Albatera in the south of Alicante Province this week are known to be of Czech origin. Those arrested are thought to be ‘proxy’ killers, hired by a third party to get rid of the Mayor who allegedly would not participate in city-planning irregularities. It is known that Ponsoda, the Mayor for 12 years, was against certain proposed urban developments and, despite the arrests, the authorities are still investigating the possibility that members of the Polop Council and their advisors are implicated. After more than two years, the seemingly stalled investigation was given renewed impetus after members of the UCO carried out surveillance on suspect premises in the town of Albatera. The specialised undercover unit acted independently of any other police authority, including the Police Local, when they raided the house anticipating a weapons cache. Instead, and after collecting evidence, they unexpectedly found a connection with the Ponsoda crime. Ponsoda was gunned down as he sat in his car shortly after arriving at his home. A British neighbour and acquaintance of the Mayor related how he had heard what he thought to be fireworks going off outside his window. On further investigation, he saw Ponsoda in the driver’s seat of his vehicle, having sustained three bullet wounds to the head and neck from two separate small calibre weapons. The 55-year-old Mayor was rushed to hospital in a comatose state; he succumbed to his injuries eight days later in the Alicante General Hospital.
At the time the village of Chirles and the home of Alejandro Ponsoda, was sealed off and an extensive search was mounted for the assassins. It was stated at the time that they had escaped on foot through the fields and myriad of tracks and paths in this area. The sophisticated ‘hit’ was believed to be the work of professional killers. In a town of just under 2,400 registered inhabitants (a third of the population is foreign); rumours immediately began to spread as to the motive for this classic ‘Mafia style’ execution. The OCU continued to focus their investigation on issues surrounding city-planning programs such as the Plan of Actuación Integral (PAI) and the General Plan of Ordenación Urbana (PGOU) but nothing could be proved one way or the other. The murder of Ponsoda has caused a huge rift in the community, the residents are ‘closed lipped’ about the whole issue. The present mayor of Polop and former Councillor for Urbanism under Ponsoda, Juan Cano, expressed his personal satisfaction after hearing someone had been arrested in relation to the crime. “They (the police) told us to us expect an arrest in the near future. I feel the pages to this story can be closed after the book has been open too long.”

British Navy patrol firing at the Spanish flag.

tensions between Gibraltar and Spain are rising after the Guardia Civil came across a British Navy patrol which, the paper says, was carrying out firing practice last Tuesday on a buoy on which the Spanish flag was printed.El Mundo reports that the British cleared away their exercise when they noted the presence of the Guardia Civil, but the paper highlights that they had been firing at the Spanish flag.
The paper says that incidents between the Guardia Civil and the British Navy patrols around The Rock are ever more common. Spain believes such incidents only benefit the smugglers in the area and the Spanish Government indicated over the summer that they want to reach a new agreement with Britain on the joint control of the waters around Gibraltar.The new British Ambassador in Madrid, Giles Paxman, has been called in to give an explanation, and is reported by El Mundo to have presented his ‘excuses’ for the ‘error of judgement and lack of sensitivity’ by members of the Royal Navy.
The Partido Popular has asked the Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, to explain the incident to Congress.

Italian gang of armed bank robbers are in custody after the initial 3 arrests after the Málaga robbery

An Italian gang of armed bank robbers responsible for a string of assaults on branches in Málaga, Alicante, Valencia and Murcia have been arrested by National Police following the earlier arrest in Málaga of three of the group.Investigations then led National Police detectives to Granada province where the remaining two gang members were taken into custody at a service station in Loja. One of the two arrested there was the mother of another gang member and had a lengthy record in Italy for previous bank robberies.The Interior Ministry gives the gang’s haul during the time they operated in Spain as more than 150,000 €.

Michael Dermot McArdle was found guilty of negligent homicide at his trial

Supreme Court has confirmed the Málaga provincial court’s verdict in the death in Marbella in February 2000 of a woman who fell to her death from a hotel balcony. The victim’s Irish husband was found guilty of negligent homicide at his trial and Spain’s highest court has now confirmed that ruling after refusing to admit for consideration the appeal placed by his lawyers.The sentence was previously confirmed by the Andalucía High Court some months ago.It happened on 11th February 2000, the day, Diario Sur notes, that the couple, 39 year old Michael Dermot McArdle, from Dundalk, and his wife Kelly-Anne, had arrived in Marbella with their 3 year old son. The jury in the case agreed that the victim fell from the balcony during a row with her husband, and considered that he had no intention of killing her and had, in fact, tried to stop her from falling.The Andalucía High Court however said when it confirmed the lower court’s ruling that the accused had failed to observe the most fundamental duty of care which any person should observe in such a dangerous situation.

Juan Antonio Yagüe, a former GIL councillor in Marbella and brother to the town’s ex Mayor, Marisol Yagüe, has accepted serving nine sentences

Juan Antonio Yagüe, a former GIL councillor in Marbella and brother to the town’s ex Mayor, Marisol Yagüe, has accepted serving nine sentences of 15 months in prison for planning charges against him which were due to come to court in Málaga. The news of the deal was revealed by Diario Sur this Monday and it’s understood that Yagüe has accepted serving the terms which had been requested by the prosecution service.Yagüe fled the country in 2006 and was arrested earlier this year on returning to Spain from Venezuela, after giving himself up to the Spanish Consulate there and flying home under a safe conduct order. He was wanted under an international arrest warrant after failing to turn up for a one-year sentence for planning crimes.The nine other cases against him also relate to planning crimes for which other Marbella ex councillors, including another former Mayor, Julián Muñoz, have already been found guilty. Yagüe was out of the country when their trials took place. They relate to licences issued to build new homes on land which was classified as unsuitable for development