Couple jailed after forcing man back home and robbing him

A man and a woman have each been sentenced to five years in prison after forcing a Torrevieja resident back to his flat and holding him there for around three hours while they ransacked the property.

The Alicante Provincial Court, sitting in Elche, found the pair guilty of robbery with intimidation in an inhabited home and unlawful detention. The ruling also ordered them to pay the victim €1,113, the value of the items stolen.

According to the judgment, the attack happened on the night of 8 March 2025 as the man was walking his dog near home. The woman approached him first and struck up a conversation, before her accomplice arrived and grabbed him by the arm. He was then forced back to the property against his will.

Once inside, the court said, the pair made him remain seated on a sofa while they searched the house. During the robbery they took jewellery, cash, bank cards and a watch.

The court heard that the male defendant also took a large kitchen knife and used it to threaten the victim into handing over money. The ruling said the two defendants later ate in the living room before leaving the home.

Both defendants admitted the facts as part of a conformity agreement, which allowed the court to hand down the prison terms. The judges also applied the aggravating factor of repeat offending, noting that both had previous convictions for robbery involving violence or intimidation and for burglary.

The case is a stark example of a home invasion that began on the street and escalated into a prolonged ordeal inside the victim’s own home. The conviction covers both the theft and the unlawful detention that kept the man inside the flat while the robbery was carried out.

Sentence and compensation

Each defendant received a five-year sentence, giving a total of ten years between them. They were also ordered to compensate the victim jointly for the stolen property.

The court’s ruling closes the case at first instance after the defendants accepted responsibility for the crime and the agreed penalties were imposed.