Andorran Woman Freed After Wrongful Imprisonment Due to Pardon Oversight
A 49-year-old woman was released after three days in custody when authorities confirmed a judicial error: she qualified for a coprince pardon on her.
Key Points
- Woman arrested Friday in Escaldes-Engordany on 2021 warrant for 2020 DUI conviction.
- Monday review confirmed eligibility for coprinces' pardon, nullifying imprisonment.
- History includes multiple alcohol offenses and 20 prior prison stays; lived on Málaga streets.
- Related arrests: resisting officer, two border drink-driving cases with high BAC levels.
**Andorran woman detained on prison warrant released after judicial error confirmed**
A 49-year-old Andorran woman without a fixed address, detained last Friday afternoon in Escaldes-Engordany on a Tribunal de Corts warrant, has been released from the penitentiary centre. Authorities confirmed on Monday that her imprisonment resulted from an administrative oversight, as she qualified for one of the recent pardons issued by the coprinces.
The woman had been held for obstructing justice after a final in-absentia conviction for endangering public safety. That stemmed from driving under the influence of alcohol in the summer of 2020. The warrant, issued in 2021, called for her search, arrest, and imprisonment. Police encountered her during a check on Sant Esteve afternoon; sources indicated she approached the station voluntarily. When she requested a lawyer, officers noted the holiday and proceeded with transfer, promising access on the next working day.
A review of her file on Monday revealed she should have received an automatic commutation under the coprinces' pardons, nullifying the need for incarceration. She spent three days in custody before her lawyer confirmed the error and secured her release. The woman has a history of alcohol-related offences, including prior drink-driving incidents, and around 20 previous stays in prison. She had left Andorra shortly after the 2020 case and was reportedly living on the streets in Málaga.
In related incidents, police arrested a 25-year-old male resident in Escaldes-Engordany on Saturday evening for offences against public authority and honour. He disobeyed orders, resisted arrest seriously, and insulted officers during their duties.
Border checks, authorised by the Interior Ministry and running until Thursday, also produced two drink-driving arrests. On Friday midday at the Runer river border with Spain, officers stopped a 31-year-old female resident en route to Spain; her blood alcohol level registered 1.87. Early Sunday morning in La Massana, they intercepted a 20-year-old male resident with a level of 1.58.
Police have provided no further updates on the other cases.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: