Magaluf Gang Rape: Eight Men Sentenced for Horrific Hotel Attack
In a shocking case that has cast a dark shadow over one of Spain's most popular holiday destinations, eight young men have been sentenced for a brutal gang rape in Magaluf. The attack, which occurred in the summer of 2023, involved unspeakable acts of violence, humiliation, and the filming of the crime, leaving an 18-year-old survivor traumatised.
The Nightmare Unfolds
During mid-August 2023, as revellers enjoyed the lively Magaluf strip, an 18-year-old girl was targeted by a group of men at the BH Mallorca Resort. The perpetrators, aged between 18 and 26 and from various backgrounds, carried out a 30-minute gang rape in room 108. Reports indicate that three of the men had met the teenager hours earlier, luring her into a situation that quickly turned into a nightmare of degradation.
The attack began at dawn, with the victim being stripped naked aside from her bra and subjected to multiple sexual assaults. French tourists Khalil Abderrahmen Mejbri and Romain Charles Michel Galatioto orally penetrated the teenager, who fell unconscious during the ordeal. French national Anthony Guy Gerard Wengler and Swiss national Haiaiel Ngandjeu Sjamen Tchatchou raped her at least once, as did Thomas Eric Coretin Wisniewski from France.
Acts of Cruelty and Humiliation
In further acts of degradation, Tchatchou and Wengler spat at the victim and whipped her alongside Mejbri after Frenchman Satilmis Sahan slapped her. Anthony Auque and Mouhamadou Wade, both from France, watched the rape unfold, surrounding the victim and chanting sick words of encouragement. The indictment describes how the gang yelled insults, including shouting, 'There's four of us and there's a cow', and laughed loudly, showing no empathy.
Horrifyingly, after the attack, one perpetrator encouraged strangers in the hotel corridor to have 'free sex' with the survivor. An insider revealed, 'It was almost a case of them opening the door and inviting others passing by in the corridor to join them.' This callous act added to the survivor's trauma, highlighting the depravity of the attackers.
Filming and Social Media Boasts
All eight men confessed to filming the gang rape, with Mejbri and Wade posting recordings via Snapchat while the victim was semi-conscious or unconscious. One suspect filmed 14 videos totalling 170 seconds, and another filmed five videos totalling 142 seconds. The plea agreement stated that the videos focused on the victim's private parts and included boasts intended to humiliate and violate her.
These videos proved crucial in the arrests and prosecution, as the men initially refused to cooperate with police and court proceedings. Their attempts to maintain silence were undermined by the digital evidence, which shed light on the horrific events in room 108.
Rescue and Aftermath
At around 5 am, a hotel security guard discovered the survivor sobbing on the lobby floor and immediately alerted police, who arrived within five minutes. The guard praised the swift response, stating, 'They dealt with it very well. The police came within five minutes and quickly helped her.' The victim received medical attention and counselling, revealing bruises on her arm from being held down and a cut to her chest.
Sentencing and Compensation
Mejbri and Wisniewski received nine-year sentences for sexual assault with carnal access, while Wengler, Tchatchou, and Galatioto were given 11-year sentences for the same offence. Sahan confessed to sexual assault without penetration and received a four-year sentence. All eight men, including Auque and Wade for filming, were given additional two-year, three-month sentences.
The convicted men were ordered to compensate the survivor with over €100,000 (£86,000). At least two are unlikely to return to prison due to time served on remand, while five others remain behind bars pending a further hearing. An insider noted that plea bargains spared some from life sentences, adding, 'These men appear on the surface to be regular young guys... It's such a shocking case.' The victim did not need to give evidence beyond her initial witness statement.
If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999.
