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ISSUE NO. 1752
31 Jan - 6 Feb 2019
Newspaper in Spain 2017 & 2018
A XARQUÍA - C OSTA T ROPICAL YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
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Julen case: Landowner insists he covered well THE owner of the plot of land in the Sierra de Totalan where two-year-old Julen died la st we e k c l a i ms h e covered the borehole with two concrete blocks. The Guardia Civil told a Malaga court investigating the case witness statements about how the hole was sealed contradict each other. According to Spanish media, police claim the owner of the land where Julen fell down a 72-metre prospecting hole insists he covered it with concrete blocks, a claim backed by Julen’s father. The man responsible for digging the hole, Antonio Sanchez, reportedly told police he covered it with a 15kilogra m st o n e h i m s elf, however. The st a t e m e n t s wi l l b e used during the negligent manslaughter investigation currently underway in a Malaga court. According to Spanish media, officials will examine two leads; whether the owner of the land Julen died on, or the man who bored the hole we r e n e g l i g e n t , an d how Ju l e n c a m e t o b e buried under large quantities of soil after his fall. The n e g l i g e n t man slaughter charge carries a s enten c e o f o n e t o fo u r years in prison for serious cases, or a fine in more minor instances.
Credit: Guardia Civil
By Sally Underwood
CONFLICTING CLAIMS: The owner of the land where the borehole (pictured) was dug insists he covered it with concrete blocks. A n y o n e fo u n d to b e a t fault could also be liable for co mp e n s atio n to J u le n’s parents, as well as for the costs of the rescue operation, thought to be millions of Euros. After the Guardia Civil’s Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA) confirmed the hole Julen fell down had been bored without the necessary permissions, police say they will focus their investigation on whether Antonio Sanchez attempted to seal the well as he claims, a n d w h e t h e r t h e l a n d ’s owner removed any covering. The second arm of the investigation will use witness accounts from those present
when Julen fell, including his pa re nts , his fa the r ’s c ous in, the ow ne r of the land, and two walkers who came to the family’s aid.