Catalonia’s High Court of Justice has ordered Barcelona’s Input nightclub to pay €61,000 in compensation to a young American woman who was raped on the premises in 2023, following a ruling that highlighted serious security negligence.
The landmark judgment confirms the eighteen-year prison sentence imposed on the sexual aggressor by Barcelona’s Provincial Court whilst holding the nightclub’s management company, SHEI-HEI MOON, financially liable for damages.
The victim, aged nineteen at the time, was attacked on the night of 11th March 2023 whilst visiting Input nightclub at Poble Espanyol with friends. Following a staff member’s directions, she had stepped outside through a rear door to smoke, which could only be opened from inside the venue.
Once outside, the young woman felt uncomfortable in the employee’s presence and moved away from him. The worker then returned to the nightclub, leaving her stranded outside with no means of re-entry.
The attack occurred whilst she was walking around the exterior of the venue, when the perpetrator who had illegally accessed the premises by scaling one of the perimeter walls surprised and assaulted her.
Initially, Barcelona’s Provincial Court had absolved both the nightclub and Poble Espanyol of any responsibility. However, both the prosecution and the victim’s legal representatives appealed to the High Court, arguing that if the attacker lacked means to pay compensation, the venue should be held liable.
The High Court ultimately sided with the accusers, finding that nightclub staff had acted negligently in their duty of care. The ruling specifically targeted the nightclub’s management company whilst absolving Poble Espanyol of civil responsibility.
The €61,000 compensation award covers moral, physical, and psychological damages suffered by the victim. The judgment represents a significant precedent for venue liability in cases where inadequate security measures contribute to serious crimes.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about nightclub security protocols and the responsibility of entertainment venues to protect their patrons, particularly in areas where unauthorised access poses serious risks to customer safety.
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