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STAFF REPORTER

FOLLOWING his being found guilty of misappropriation of public funds and child abuse, a court in Palma has told ex Palma Councillor Javier Rodrigo de Santos that he must go directly to jail whilst his lawyer appeals against his sentence through national and European courts.

There had been the possibility that de Santos would remain in liberty whilst the appeal was in process but Judge Jose Diaz Cappa said yesterday that he believed there was a high risk that de Santos, would in desperation attempt to take flight to avoid his thirteen-and-a-half year jail sentence.

The tribunal also made the point that whilst concurring with the evidence of the Defence Counsell that de Santos continues to receive treatment for his drug addiction, there was some doubt about where his permanent address was - during his time in liberty whilst awaiting sentence, he had reported to police officers in Aranda del Duero but claimed to be living a great distance away with his parents' family in Burgos.

After the court had pronounced its verdict, de Santos was led from the building in handcuffs from where he said goodbye to the media, and to his brother, before being driven away to what is still technically a “provisional” stay in prison.

Meanwhile, another case is pending against de Santos. He has been named in ongoing investigations into “irregularities” which have emerged from the acquisition of the children's play frames currently located in Sa Riera in Palma.