Turin, violence against 13-year-old: Prosecutor's Office appeals against release from custody

The Turin Prosecutor's Office has decided to appeal the order of the Preliminary Investigations Judge who had ordered the release of a 42-year-old man arrested for harassing a thirteen-year-old girl. The man, found guilty based on "serious evidence," was released with only the obligation to report daily to the nearest police station, against the opinion of the public prosecutor who had requested a stricter measure.

The decision of the Preliminary Investigations Judge, motivated by the absence of a flight risk, sparked immediate political reactions. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio has already sent inspectors to the Turin court for investigations. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed strong disapproval, emphasizing that the entire institutional "chain" had functioned until that judicial order.

The case originates from an arrest made by the police last Saturday, when a 42-year-old man was detained on charges of harassing a 13-year-old girl who entered his minimarket. According to the reconstruction, the man allegedly apologized with an "I'm very sorry," but this did not prevent the arrest. The public prosecutor had then requested a strict precautionary measure.

The Preliminary Investigations Judge, while acknowledging the "serious indications of guilt," deemed that there was no risk of flight and that the precautionary needs could be ensured by the obligation of daily signing in. This measure, which effectively overturned the detention, broke the agreed line of action between law enforcement and the requesting judiciary, generating a political-judicial case. The Prosecutor's appeal to the Review Court represents an attempt to overturn this decision.