Ciro Grillo, 24, son of Beppe Grillo, co-founder of the Five-Star Movement (M5S), has been convicted along with three friends in the long-running Porto Cervo gang rape case. The Tempio Pausania Court found them guilty of the gang rape of two young women in mid-July 2019 and handed down prison sentences on Monday.
According to the prosecution, the events took place during the night of 16-17 July 2019 at the Grillo family villa in Porto Cervo, on Sardinia. The alleged victims were a 19-year-old Italian-Norwegian student and another young woman. The case drew major public attention due to the profile of Ciro Grillo and the severity of the charges
After years of hearings and debate, the court, presided by Judge Marco Contu, issued its verdict following about three hours of deliberation.
Sentences
- Ciro Grillo, Edoardo Capitta, and Vittorio Lauria were sentenced to eight years in prison each.
- Francesco Corsiglia was sentenced to six years and six months.
The court also recognised some mitigating circumstances.
In addition, it granted provisional damages to the victims: €10,000 to the main victim from Grillo, Capitta and Lauria; €5,000 for Corsiglia.
Corsiglia was convicted of gang rape but acquitted of a related charge concerning the distribution of sexually explicit images of the other young woman while she was asleep.
None of the defendants nor the accuser were present in court when the verdict was read.
The prosecution had sought nine years in prison for all four defendants. The defence teams have stated that they will appeal, asserting inconsistencies, contradictions, and the unreliability of testimony.
The victim’s lawyer, Giulia Bongiorno, described the sentence as “important” in affirming that violence cannot go unpunished and that the justice system should support survivors who speak up.
This verdict represents a first-instance judgment. The sentences are not yet final and will become effective only after appeals and possible review by higher courts.
