At the Criminal Court Number 4 in Sevilla, the mayor of Aguadulce, Isabel Ortiz (PSOE), has been sentenced to eight years disqualification from public office and fined €4,500 for flagrant violation of urban planning regulations.
The judge ruled that the violation of the urban planning regulations was ‘unquestionable’ and ‘flagrant’ and that the mayor was fully aware of what she was doing.
In 2006, the mayor granted an application for the construction and installation of warehouses for the purpose of fattening turkeys on a local farm and ignored advice and objections from the municipal architect and secretary.
At her trial in October the mayor stated that she granted the licence to help a resident who was going to provide jobs for people in the area and had also suffered a family tragedy. The mayor added that the resident had approached her several times about the matter and she acted out of ‘sentimentality’, deciding to be more flexible with the rules. She denied, however, that she was aware that her action was illegal.