Hi all, looking for a bit of advice about being denounced. I found another thread and would have replied but it has been closed.
I was in a bar last night n the town where I live and a fight broke out between some Spanish. It went on for ages with lots of different people coming and going and interfering etc.

When it was all over (for whatever reason - memory is a bit blurry) I ended up speaking to one of the men who had been fighting and after whatever was said he got aggressive and started threatening me.

I (when I should have walked away - I know) told him where to go and continued if he also wanted to fight me he was more than welcome to have a go... So he did, he it me twice and then I decked him. He got up afterwards and said he had had enough and that seemed to be the end of it.

The bar owner (who is a friend of mine) has just rang me now though to say the police had been into his bar asking about me so I presume this man has denounced me today!

They know my first name and that I am English but that is about it - I actually know the Spanish man but not that well.
I am sat her now wondering what to do about it all. Should I denounce him for assaulting me or what? He hit me in the face before I hit him back.

The bar man said if they didn´t know who I was then they can´t do anything but I don´t really want to be worrying about this for the next year or two.
I have a slightly cut lip from him hitting me and a bruised fist from hitting hm but he was in a worse state - bust nose and a black eye (black eye was from the previous fight he had.)

If I go to denounce him could I be arrested?
My fiance is Spanish but is at work until 11pm - I don´t really want to do anything without her translating.

What would you all suggest?

This happened to someone I know. You could be in a bit of trouble because the Spanish courts dont like violence.

You could be fined several thousand euros or even put in prison (unlikely from what you've explained, but...). If I were you I would first talk to a lawyer even if it costs you money, then go and denounce the other person. Take photos of your injuries and you will need a medical record of them, so go to your doctor.

This will be a pain in the ar*s, but make sure you do it properly.

My friend ended up in court and had to pay 5k for punching someone who had their nose broken. However, they got off lightly as it was some gypsy kids who apparently pull this stunt all the time (go looking for fights to make money).

Can´t believe he denounced me! Especially after hitting me first. I just had a look at the inside of my mouth and there is quite a big cut on the inside of my cheek but because he had another fight before fighting me he was already marked up so looks like a really battered him. Might have looked better f he had given me a few bruises too.
Don´t know at this point if he denounced the Spanish guy or not.

Really don´t need this hassle right now... wish I hadn´t gone out last night

Yes, IMHO you should denounce him as being the one who "threw the first punch". Do it asap. Go to the Guardia nearest you, make your denuncia (explaining as you have done on here) and they will no doubt tell you to visit your nearest health centre where you can ask to see a doctor, make your report there & gather all the relevant bits of paper you will be given.
It's hassle you no doubt don't want but if you don't, then the other party will get in first and be looking to claim damages from you.
Hopefully for you it will be dismissed as a tit for tat episode, or, looking on the bright side, you could end up with some damages lol. Not the physical type.

Exactly as has already been suggested. Go straight to hospital and exagerate every bit of pain or every cut you have. Tell them you can't sleep properly and that you can't chew food and can only drink soup. Get everything in writing from the doctor. Don't tell the doctor that you hit anyone just say that someone started a fight in a bar (don't name the bar it may have been a friend of his) and started punching you so you want to denounce them. Then go to the police station with statements from witnesses and make a denouncia.
The courts are slow and over crowded over here but as said the Spanish are not keen on violence of any kind, especialy from a foreigner.
If and when it does eventualy go to court just keep apealing and apealing the decision if you don't like the judges outcome. Once this goes on for more than 5 years nothing will ever come of it. As far as the Spanish cout system is concerned, any physical or psycological damage you or the other person could have sustained will be gone after 5 years and therefore his claim will be dismissed even if he can be bothered to carry it on for that long.

Thanks for the replies. I will go and denounce him tomorrow. My fiance thought that maybe nothing would happen anyways as they don´t have my name and address but I figure it would just be a matter of time until they caught up with me then I would look worse for not denouncing him. Just don´t want the stress.

The missus also said he kept telling her he wanted to have a fight with me earlier on - no idea why (drink/drugs??) so I´ll make sure that goes in as well and she is a witness.

Well I´ll need to take tomorrow off work to go and try and sort all this out - what a pain in the arse...

Thanks again for the replies

hope all goes well. this is one thing living in spain has always confused me. ppl denouncing everyone left right and centre. like theres not enough paperwpork in the world. i nearly got "denounced" by a neighbour who didn´t like me coming home late at night. The police admitted they couldn´t denounce anyone for wearing heels in the house! what a waste of time.

Personaly I don't think what you did to this man was the right thing to do............ I'd have decked him after the first punch
Joking aside, I was denounced by a neighbour because she claimed she found dog her on her clothes that were dring on her balcony. The judge (yes it actualy went to court) laughed at her when she produced a clump of dog hair in the court and asked "Who do you think we are, CSI?", then got angry with her and dismissed it all. And no it wasn't from my dogs, she just didn't like us.

Spanish will denouce you {go crying to the police like school girls} at the drop of a hat, it seems to be they think the last one to make a denouncia will be the one who gets prosecuted.
Denounce him immediately and remember you are entitled to a translator when you make a statement and in court,this is free of charge as is a duty solicitor when you have to go to court,use them!!! it usually happens in 2 to 3 days when violence is involved.

The fine if you are found guilty is likely to run into hundreds not thousands and then you can still appeal.

incredible. Its all new to me.
do you think becasue of this economic climate..there will be more denouncing going on?

I don't see how counter denouncing will help.
Normally, the police have to find you and ask you to attend police station to make a statement.
You can then put your side in that statement but in this situation witnesses are the only way to prove you did not instigate the fight.
If you know the police are looking for you I think it best to go there and show willing and you will be able to see just what it is he is denouncing you for and make a decision based on his claims, but as to making a denuncia on him, not so sure.
Most probably you will both be fined for fighting, as it should be.

Unfortunately as you are British and he is Spanish, you will probably lose. Normally a prison sentence is given, with/without a fine. For first offence it will probably be suspended for two years. Another approach is to get your lawyer to mediate and try to settle some damages and get him to withdraw the denuncia. You will have to pay him damages anyway.

Without question.


Ask for a translator at the last minute and claim you don't speak one word of Spanish (you don't have to prove you don't speak Spanish), there was only one translator available when I went to court and she was busy so it was adjurned 3 times, she only kept it going because she was after money which I'd already been assured she would never get.

Sorry, that's a bit of a statement.
I'm not sure what your basis is to a racist legal system, that imprisons people ( suspended or otherwise) for a bar room scuffle.
I would point out that the OP doesn't even know if he has been denounced, or by whom. It may well be that the police are denouncing both of them.

It doesn't really matter who threw the first punch. If I were OP I would keep my head down and drink in some other bar for the next month, there are lots too choose from