British Tourist Acquitted of Rape After Plea Deal

A British tourist, Billy John Chard, has received a two-year suspended sentence after admitting to raping a fellow UK holidaymaker in a Magaluf hotel. The sentence was handed down in Palma de Mallorca after Chard entered into a plea bargain. He will avoid serving prison time if he pays the victim £5,000 in compensation and does not re-offend within the next two years.

The incident occurred in July 2022. According to court documents, Chard met the woman at a pool party and invited her to his hotel room. Prosecutors stated that the woman, who had consumed a significant amount of cocaine and vodka, lost consciousness. Chard then proceeded to assault her in the shower and on the bed.

Mitigating factors considered during the trial included Chard's intoxication from alcohol and drugs at the time of the assault. He was arrested on July 18, 2022, and it is understood he was released on bail prior to his trial.

The BH Mallorca Resort was also the site of a separate gang-rape incident in August 2023, where a group of men assaulted an 18-year-old British tourist. In that case, eight individuals confessed to the crime and accepted prison sentences totaling over 73 years as part of plea bargain deals.