Information Note on the Court’s case-law No.
October 1996
De Salvador Torres v. Spain - 21525/93
Judgment 24.10.1996
Article 6
Article 6-3-a
Information on nature and cause of accusation
Aggravating circumstance not expressly mentioned in the charge relied on by appellate court to increase sentence: no violation
[This summary is extracted from the Court’s official reports (Series A or Reports of Judgments and Decisions). Its formatting and structure may therefore differ from the Case-Law Information Note summaries.]
Investigating judge and prosecutors characterised facts as offence of embezzlement of public funds - applicant convicted by Audiencia Provincial of more general offence of simple embezzlement - but sentence increased by the Supreme Court, which found an aggravating circumstance (offender had taken advantage of the public nature of his position).
Such circumstance was an element intrinsic to the original accusation of embezzlement of public funds and known to applicant from outset of proceedings - thus open to Supreme Court to take account of it in sentencing.
Conclusion: no violation (unanimously).
© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights
This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.
Click here for the Case-Law Information Notes
Full & Egal Universal Law Academy