Squatter fined for arson and vandalism on building in Gran Canaria
A man who illegally occupied part of a residential building in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has been ordered to pay thousands of euros in fines and compensation after causing extensive damage to the property.
The Provincial Court of Las Palmas has rejected the man’s appeal against an earlier conviction linked to vandalism and fire damage inside the building. Residents accused him of living in communal areas near the storage rooms without permission between September 2022 and February 2023.
According to the court ruling, the man damaged security cameras and entry intercoms, causing more than €1,100 in damage. He was also accused of setting fire to several storage room doors using a container filled with flammable liquid, although the total cost of the fire damage has not yet been confirmed.
The court upheld a financial penalty of €2,310 and ordered him to compensate the community of residents with an initial payment of €1,168 for the confirmed damage. A further amount linked to the fire damage will be decided at a later stage.
One resident, who was also the president of the community association, claimed the man threatened to kill her during an incident in October 2023. The accused denied making the threats, as well as another allegation that he broke the lock on the communal storage room entrance.
Judges said there was enough evidence to support the conviction, including expert reports on the damage and witness statements from residents. The appeal court ruled that the original judge’s decision was reasonable and supported by legally obtained evidence.
The sentence is not yet final and can still be appealed before the Spanish Supreme Court.
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