NEWS
www.theolivepress.es
Pavement payout A WOMAN who slipped on a pavement has been awarded €37,000 in compensation by the Junta. Her accident in Almeria was caused due to a ‘large amount’ of water and soap, which had no warning signs. The woman, who received only minor injuries, is to be paid out following a twoyear legal battle.
Drowning horror A BRITISH dad has drowned while holidaying with pals on the Costa del Sol. Andrew Wallace, 54, from Bolton, was found dead in Benalmadena after getting separated from his mates on a night out. His body was found by a local in the marina.
Holy guacamole A TRIO of men have been arrested for stealing 1,200kg of avocados from a farm near Granada. The farm’s owner was alerted by a neighbour during the theft, who spotted the youngest of the three suspects.
December 4th - December 17th 2019
5
More trouble for ‘chorizo’ Chaves ANDALUCIA’S longest-running leader is facing prison over a new fraud probe. Ex-president Manuel Chaves - who was last month banned from public office for nine years in the ERE case - is being investigated over a €6m public money scandal. Judge Jose Vilaplana is probing two dodgy loans to a chorizo factory in Jaen. The factory, Hamsa, was handed the money in an opaque deal in 1999, despite
such payouts being specifically forbidden by the European Commission. Chaves, who many believe was lucky to avoid prison under the ERE sentencing, ran the Junta for 19 years until 2009, when he moved to join the government in Madrid. He is being probed alongside former PSOE minister Gaspar Zarrias and a dozen other politicians. See Reptiles on page 6/7
YOU Sick hunt
Total bankers! Spanish bank refuses to cover British expat after he loses €1,000 in 10 minutes from simple ATM scam EXCLUSIVE By Charlie Smith
A RETIRED British expat has sounded the alarm after a thief robbed him of €1,000 – while his bank Unicaja has refused to pay out compensation. Neville Stock, 66, from London, says he was scammed in broad daylight as he tried to withdraw money at an Estepona cash machine. The dad-of-three claimed a ‘six foot three athletic Algerian man’ began ‘shouting aggressively’ at him as he was punching in his pin code. In a police denuncia seen by the Olive Press, Neville explains that the sun was ‘shining directly onto the
machine’ and that his vision was obscured. The former home security company boss then accepted help from the stranger, trusting him to insert the card, which he instead secretly pocketed. He then watched over Neville’s shoulder as he typed the numbers, before legging it and withdrawing at two nearby cash points in quick succession. “I thought he was helping me,” Neville, who has lived in the area for 19 years with his wife, told the Olive Press. Within three minutes, Neville had reported the theft to a bank manager at a nearby Unicaja. However, despite his panic,
VICTIM: Neville Stock was withdrawing money the bank manager then took a four-minute phone call, before telling Neville he’d already lost €500. The employee then cancelled the card before he realised
My boy’s back! THE father of a British boy has been arrested in Spain after absconding with his son nine months ago. Rafael Jurado-Cabello, from Cordoba, but with British residency, was arrested at Madrid airport after getting off a flight from Mexico with his son Angelo Jurado-Marmolejo. Angelo’s mother, Karol Marmolejo, said being reunited with her nine-year-old boy was ‘the best Christmas present’. The boy’s father has been detained under the terms of a European Arrest Warrant, after a joint operation between British and Spanish police. Det Insp Matthew Lloyd, of Avon and Somerset Police said: “Everyone is delighted Angelo has been found safe and well.”
that another €500 had been withdrawn. Neville was later told by Unicaja that he would not be covered by the bank’s insurance as the thief had known his pin number.
Panic
“I blame Unicaja for being too slow,” said Neville, “and the police for – from the sound of it – doing nothing.” A Guardia Civil spokesperson said: “We are investigating this case. Normally if we have access to any CCTV it is up to the judge to authorise our access.” Neville’s bank manager at Unicaja refused to comment on the allegations that staff were slow, but did say: “These kinds of crimes are not common.”
A HUNTER has been filmed dragging a dog along the road by its neck after allegedly beating her to within an inch of her life. The shocking footage was taken in Galicia, with several witnesses reporting the man having shot his dog to cops. In the video the hunter, from Lugo, can be heard saying he can ‘shoot whoever the f**k he wants.’ The dog, who had just given birth to six puppies, had a bullet wound and serious injuries to the skull. She is being treated at the Rof Codina animal hospital, while her puppies have been taken into care, according to NGO Mundo Vivo. The man could now face up to 18 months in jail and receive a €30,000 fine if prosecuted.
In the dog house A DOG-OWNER has been ordered to pay €8 a day for three months after his pet almost starved to death. The cruel Spaniard left his pooch chained up in the sun without food and water, according to police. He also forced the animal to live in its own excrement at a property in Estepona.