The Balearic Islands Prosecutor's Office requests more than seven years in prison for the former Balearic deputy of Els Verds Josep Ramon Balanzat for alleged abuse of one of his students when he taught at an adult school after leaving politics. The accusation maintains that, between October and November 2020, the man abused the young woman and harassed her with messages on her mobile phone. He is also accused of abusing a cousin of the young woman, a minor.
Josep Ramon Balanzat was the first deputy of The Greens in an autonomous parliament, between 1995 and 1999. Between 2007 and 2011 he was director general of Cooperation in the Government of the socialist Francesc Antich. He had previously been removed from a job as a teacher in the Palma prison due to complaints from some inmates.
The accused has at all times denied the victim's accusations and attributes them to a desire for revenge. He assures that the affectionate messages were intended to help the young woman with "pedagogical intention". The events occurred at a time when classes were online due to the covid, but the student went to the center to use the computer and that is where she shared space with the teacher.
Balanzat has denied the facts and has stated that he was "astonished" to learn of the accusations. He has denied having kissed the minor and has assured that, at some point when he hugged her, she went to give him encouragement. "At no time did I kiss her on the cheek or on her mouth," he has denied. He has said that he was especially attentive to the young woman because the social services asked him to and added that everything responds to a fabrication by the young woman to harm him.
The indictment maintains that the defendant allegedly groped the young woman while taking advantage of classes in a municipal library and on some occasion touched her chest. These behaviors caused the girl to leave the premises feeling uncomfortable."
The man faces three years and six months for sexual abuse and harassment and another four for sexual abuse of a child under 16 years of age. The trial will be seen for sentencing this week.
