Andorra Court Upholds Suspended Sentence for Man Failing to Pay Child Support
The Tribunal Superior dismissed the appeal, confirming a five-month conditional prison term for repeatedly breaching court-ordered 450-euro monthly payments despite evidence of property and car purchases contradicting insolvency claims.
Key Points
- Andorra's Tribunal Superior upheld a five-month suspended sentence for man failing to pay 450-euro monthly child support.
- Court rejected insolvency claims due to man's 600,000-euro house and 30,000-euro car purchases.
- Case from 2017 separation; man breached payments after daughter moved to mother.
- Appeal dismissed, confirming conviction for obstructing judicial resolutions.
Andorra's Tribunal Superior has dismissed the appeal of a man convicted of failing to pay child support to his ex-partner, upholding a five-month suspended prison sentence handed down by the Tribunal de Corts.
The second-instance decision, announced on Wednesday, fully endorses the first-instance ruling for a minor offence of continued obstruction of judicial resolutions. The court found no grounds to alter the original judgment, affirming that the man had repeatedly breached court-ordered payments without adequately proving insolvency. The ruling makes the sentence final in ordinary proceedings.
The case stems from a 2017 separation agreement under which the man and his ex-partner set a monthly child support payment of 450 euros for their daughter. He initially had custody and received payments from her, but stopped complying after the child moved to live with the mother. He claimed financial hardship due to business failures and involvement in legal proceedings, including a notable case in Spain linked to the "cas Pujol." Prosecutors highlighted inconsistencies, noting he owned a house worth 600,000 euros and bought a 30,000-euro car despite his alleged difficulties. The Tribunal de Corts rejected his defence, deeming his lifestyle incompatible with claimed poverty, and imposed the sentence—one month less than the prosecution requested.
The defence appealed for acquittal, arguing economic impossibility rather than wilful non-compliance. The Superior Tribunal dismissed this, validating the lower court's assessment of the facts and the man's criminal responsibility. The man, a former Andorran resident and entrepreneur, now faces the confirmed conditional penalty.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources:
- Diari d'Andorra•
Un pare, condemnat per no pagar la pensió a l’exdona
- Diari d'Andorra•
Nou anys de presó al massatgista violador
- Altaveu•
Confirmada la condemna a un empresari que no va pagar durant anys la pensió de la filla
- El Periòdic•
El Superior desestima el recurs del massatgista condemnat per agressions sexuals i confirma els nou anys de presó
- Altaveu•
El Superior confirma la pena al massatgista acusat d'abusos: 9 anys i 3 mesos de presó
- Diari d'Andorra•
Desestimat el recurs d’un pare per impagament de pensions a l’ex dona
- Diari d'Andorra•
El Superior confirma la condemna de nou anys de presó al massatgista per tres agressions sexuals
- Altaveu•
El Superior confirma la condemna al massatgista acusat d'abusar de tres pacients