Top-flight Brazilian footballer sentenced to 13 years in prison for rape of former partner

Paranaense player Derik has been sentenced to 13 years in prison in a closed regime following his conviction on two counts of rape involving a former partner in 2024. The decision was handed down by Judge Tais de Paula Scheer at the Domestic and Family Violence against Women Court of Curitiba. Despite the verdict, the 21-year-old is permitted to remain free while appealing the ruling, though the court ordered him to pay R$ 20,000 (£2,800/$3,800) in damages alongside legal fees.

The Public Prosecutor's Office had initially requested an acquittal for Derik, arguing that the gathered evidence was insufficient and contained conflicting accounts between the parties involved.

According to legal documents accessed by ESPN, the Public Prosecutor's Office stated: "The Public Prosecutor's Office requested the acquittal of the defendant from the charges under Articles 213, caput, and 147-B of the Penal Code, based on Article 386, VII, of the Code of Criminal Procedure, arguing that the body of evidence collected in the case files is not sufficient to warrant a conviction, given that confronting the narratives gathered under adversarial judicial scrutiny reveals conflicting versions regarding the rape offences. [The Public Prosecutor's Office] also emphasised that due to the lack of conclusive evidence to affirm that the accused committed Facts 01 and 02, it becomes unfeasible to assign him criminal responsibility for the emotional harm."

Judge Tais de Paula Scheer ruled that the victim's testimony carried significant evidentiary weight, proving consistent and coherent enough to justify a conviction even without a forensic examination.

In her written judgment, the magistrate explained: "The materiality and authorship of the crime of attempted rape were proven by the firm, coherent, and consistent testimony of the victim, corroborated by the body of evidence, which is sufficient for conviction even in the absence of a forensic examination. The victim's testimony in sexual crimes committed in a domestic environment carries special evidentiary weight, given the secretive nature of the facts and the vulnerability of the offended party, in accordance with the Protocol for Judgment with a Gender Perspective and established jurisprudence."

Meanwhile, Paranaense distanced themselves from the proceedings, stating via social media: "As this involves a process undergoing judicial secrecy, the Club will not comment on its content or the facts discussed therein. The decision comes from a court of first instance and is subject to appeal. The Club takes no part in the process and will respect its regular course, observing the applicable legal guarantees until any eventual final judgment."

Derik's legal team are expected to submit a formal appeal to a higher court in an attempt to overturn the initial ruling. While legal proceedings continue under judicial secrecy, Paranaense are likely to monitor developments from a distance without getting involved in the trial. The young defender's professional career now hangs in the balance as he awaits clarity on his legal future in the coming months.