The former head of the National Police denies sexually assaulting a female officer and accuses him of "evil, meanness and hatred"

MadridThe former head of the National Police, accused of sexual assault by a female officer, vehemently denies the allegations. "I was able to prove my innocence," José Ángel González told reporters as he left the courthouse. González, who had been the Deputy Director of Operations (DAO) of the Spanish police since August 2018—resigning when he was summoned to testify and the complaint became public—accused the officer of "malice, meanness, and hatred," and reproached him for having "ruined my personal, family, and professional life." The complainant's lawyer, Jorge Piedrafita, recounted that during his testimony before the judge, the former DAO accused the victim of having "stunted a trap" and called her "envious, hysterical, and crazy." Legal sources added to ARA that, regarding the alleged incident, González justified his actions by saying that while she was telling him no, he was making gestures indicating yes. He also maintained that they only kissed and hugged, and asserted that she consented to what they were doing and that he never ordered her to do anything. Furthermore, he framed the sexual encounter as a "game."

Before the former DAO (Deputy Director of Operations) testified, the victim reaffirmed her complaint. Her lawyer explained that the testimony was "tough, difficult, and very detailed" and served to "verify all the aspects she was questioned about with remarkable accuracy." The officer's defense requested a restraining order prohibiting José Ángel González from communicating with her, but Judge David Maman rejected it: "There is no apparent risk. The accused has neither approached nor communicated with her since July, and it does not appear [...] that any pressure could be exerted on the complainant," he argued.

José Ángel González was accused of sexually assaulting a female officer in April 2025 at an official residence owned by the Ministry of the Interior. The victim was allegedly subsequently coerced into not reporting the incident. The officer submitted an audio recording of the alleged rape with his complaint—the main piece of evidence, which the former Deputy Director of Operations (DAO) has attempted to discredit—and the judge determined that the reported events suggested "the existence of sexual assault offenses." In fact, the audio recording—which the former head of the Spanish police has neither challenged nor contested—has been a central focus of the questioning, during which excerpts from the recording have been played. At one point, the former DAO—who only answered questions from his defense attorney and the prosecution—claimed he did not hear the sound of the victim's zipper, but the judge countered that even he could hear it "perfectly." "He has denied things that can be heard in the audio, he has been erratic, and he has seemed cornered at times," summarized the complainant's lawyer. For his part, José Ángel González is confident that the audio will allow them to "clarify the facts and learn the truth." His lawyer, José Carlos Velasco, believes that "if people really knew the content of the audio, they would radically change their opinion."

The former head of the Spanish police arrived at the courthouse 45 minutes before his scheduled appearance in a black van, accompanied by his lawyers. Upon arrival, he said he was "calm" and shook off the throng of journalists and cameras surrounding him. A short time earlier, the complainant's lawyer had arrived on foot, and the officer had entered through a side door to avoid being seen. She was the first to testify, and her statement lasted more than two hours. He testified for about 40 minutes. Within the courthouse, a security protocol was in place to prevent the two from encountering each other. "The operation was excellent and worked perfectly; the victim and the aggressor never saw each other," Jorge Piedrafita stated.

"Unequivocal, clear and persistent" negatives

The complaint, to which ARA had access, stated that the former DAO initiated a "physical approach of a sexual nature" that was "rejected" verbally, expressly, categorically, and repeatedly by the victim, who gave "unequivocal, clear, and persistent" refusals. However, according to the document, the former DAO allegedly began "aggressive behavior of a sexual nature" characterized by "physical violence" and "environmental intimidation." The complainant acknowledged that she had maintained an "affective relationship" with González. According to her, the relationship was characterized from the beginning by a "manifest asymmetry of institutional power" and by a dynamic of "control, domination, and psychological submission." The relationship ended by the woman's "unilateral" decision, something that, according to the complaint, González "did not accept." At that point, he allegedly began an "obsessive pattern of harassment and unwanted contact" that culminated in the alleged sexual assault.

Days after the lawsuit became public, José Ángel González's defense filed a brief attempting to discredit the audio recording of the alleged rape. They argued that the recording "does not support" the complainant's account, but rather contains elements that "denote" a "previous personal relationship of trust" in which "complicity, intimate treatment, and mutual verbal interaction are evident." Furthermore, they argued that the conversation showed an "emotional dynamic" that was "incompatible" with the "alleged scenario of violence" and maintained that the audio revealed there was no "scenario of pressure," but rather a "fit of jealousy," a "clear demand for attention," and a "demand for exclusivity." They also asserted that José Ángel González offered her permission to leave his house on two occasions: "You can leave. I've never used you. Go, go whenever you want."