An agent of the Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s police force, has been sentenced to six months in prison. The conviction stems from falsifying a high-level Catalan language certificate in an attempt to secure a promotion. The Barcelona Provincial Court also imposed an 1,800-euro fine and disqualified the officer from holding public office for the sentence’s duration.

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The case, dating back to September 2020, centres on a fraudulent C2 level Catalan language certificate, the highest proficiency rating. This certification, from bodies recognised by the Generalitat de Catalunya, often provides a significant advantage in public sector job applications and internal promotions. It reflects the language’s official status and cultural importance. Indeed, proficiency is a key merit for advancement within public institutions, including the Mossos d’Esquadra. Beyond official roles, the growth of Catalan in daily life is also evident in community-led projects, such as localised social networks.

The Digital Deception

The court found it proven that the officer used their personal, non-transferable administrative profile to access the police intranet and upload the forged document. The aim was to gain a higher score in the selection process for a corporal (caporal) position. The conviction is for the crime of falsification of an official document.

A Flawed Defence

During the 9 February trial, the agent’s defence team argued for a full acquittal. They claimed the officer did not physically create the fake certificate. Furthermore, they contended that the forgery was so “crude, coarse, and manifest” that its falsity was obvious, making it an “innocuous” attempt incapable of deceiving officials.

However, the three-judge panel at the Audiència de Barcelona dismissed these arguments. The court’s ruling, first reported by elmon.cat and seen by the Efe news agency, stated that it was “not relevant whether the accused herself or another person materially created the false document.”

The judges determined the agent had “functional domain of the action.” This made her the crime’s author, as she knowingly used the document for personal gain. Moreover, the court rejected the idea that the certificate was an obvious fake, concluding that “the difference between the authentic and the false certificate is not such that it makes it appear as evidently invalid.”

Sentencing and Next Steps

Initially, the prosecution sought a much tougher penalty: one year and nine months in prison, plus a €2,700 fine. However, the court settled on the minimum sentence of six months. It noted no other factors increased the conduct’s reprehensibility.

This case marks another instance of misconduct damaging the police force’s reputation. It follows unrelated incidents, such as when a Mossos officer was jailed for stealing from a deceased man. While the force continues vital public safety work, including recent high-profile raids on an international drug ring, such internal disciplinary matters inevitably draw significant public scrutiny.

In a minor procedural note, the magistrates acknowledged the case could have been tried in a lower court, as the crime was not committed in the officer’s official capacity. However, they chose to proceed to “avoid unjustified delays,” a decision they felt did not prejudice the defence.

According to judicial sources cited by Metrópoli Abierta, the agent’s defence team has announced its intention to appeal the conviction.