San Damaso assault trial: Prosecutor seeks 14-year sentence

Final discussions have concluded in a Modena court regarding the trial of a young man accused of a violent sexual assault that occurred on August 19, 2025, along the San Damaso Nature Path. The victim, a woman in her 50s, was attacked while cycling and dragged to an isolated area.

The defendant faces charges of aggravated sexual violence, aggravated injury, robbery, and attempted murder. Prosecutors have requested a sentence of 14 years and eight months, characterizing the defendant as a ‘sexual predator.’ The defendant is also accused of two other attempted sexual assaults occurring in Castelfranco Emilia and elsewhere along the same path earlier in 2025.

While the defense has highlighted the defendant's cognitive deficits, psychiatric evaluations conducted by the court determined he was fully capable of understanding his actions at the time of the crimes. The victim, who provided the description that led to the suspect's arrest, expressed gratitude toward the investigators and the prosecutor during the proceedings.