Marsala, Athletic Trainer Convicted of Sexually Abusing an Athlete

 An athletic trainer, Giovanni Giustiniano, has been sentenced in the first instance to five years and five months in prison.

The verdict was delivered yesterday, Monday, May 20, by the Court of Marsala, which upheld the prosecution's request for a conviction. The man was found guilty of sexual violence "because, through multiple acts part of the same criminal plan, by abusing the authority derived from his position as a trainer, through deceitful and sudden behavior without verifying the consent of the victim and by exploiting the physical and/or psychological inferiority of the person at the time of the events, he coerced and/or induced the young woman to endure sexual acts in the gym and in his car, after training sessions, involving intimate areas, claiming to consider himself as her doctor."

The sexual assaults were reported in March 2022 and pertain to the period from January to February 2022. The investigative activity led and coordinated by the Marsala Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed the allegations in the judgment, which also included the acquisition of video recordings and witness testimonies, allowing for a direct trial request to be filed on August 29, 2022. Following this, given the continuation of the charges, the defendant was convicted in the first instance to a sentence of five years and five months of imprisonment, in addition to the payment of legal costs and additional penalties.
The reasons for the first-instance verdict, which is not final, will be filed within 90 days.