Yzabelle Bostyn
A BRITISH expat who was attacked by her Spanish neighbour is in disbelief after cops ‘rejected’ her claims and accused her of making a ‘false report’.
Serena Coronado, an English teacher from London, claims the Guardia Civil refused to even hear her complaint, which alleged weeks of ‘xenophobic’ verbal abuse and threats of violence.
Serena alleges her male neighbour branded her an ‘English wh**e’ and made repeated sexual comments and threats before ultimately ‘lunging at her’ in the hallway of their apartment block in Moaña, Galicia.
Defending herself, the 41-year-old doused the man with a homemade spray containing water and a splash of bathroom cleaner.
She had been carrying it to clean her dog’s urine off the street, as is required by law in Spain.
The next day, two Guardia Civil officers showed up at her door, telling her that her neighbour had reported her for assault for ‘injuring his eyes’ with the spray.
She then headed to the local Guardia Civil station to make her own report, but claims it was flat out ‘rejected’.
“The officers said it was just revenge for his report against me,” she said.
“They said: ‘This is shameful, many women in Spain have destroyed men’s lives with false claims.’
“It made me feel very sorry for the women in this country who have suffered domestic or sexual violence and who have to go into offices like that where sexist views are expressed so brazenly.”
Though she was able to report the incident to the Policia Nacional, Serena is now facing a civil court case and may have to pay the costs of the lawyer and court, as well as a hefty fine.
“It feels surreal. How can you report a woman for defending herself?,” she added.
“He must be so confident in his total impunity against foreigners. I feel hated for being different, like people can do whatever they want to me because I’m not part of the Galicia club.”
As Serena awaits the court date, she worries she will be ‘forced out’ of her apartment of almost 10 years.
“I don’t feel safe at all, there is hostility against me in my building and I feel like I might be forced out,” she said.
Since then, Serena’s neighbour has allegedly made further threats of violence against her and both parties have reported incidents to the police.
She is now taking refuge in the UK while she awaits the court date in October.
Serena fears she will be left with a hefty fine and criminal record, meaning she will be unable to work in her job as an English teacher.
Detailing the alleged abuse, she said it all began in August this year, when she caught the Spaniard watching her in her underwear while she was on her balcony.
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She claims he made comments to her in passing, calling her a ‘worthless British wh**e’ and telling her she is ‘not welcome in Spain.’
“It was clear machismo and xenophobia,” she said.
“He said: ‘You’re a foreigner who walks around with hair hanging out, speaking English and thinking you’re better than all of us. You’re ridiculous.’”
Two weeks later, her neighbour claimed she had stolen a package from outside his apartment.
She went to his front door to deny the accusation and was met with ‘increasing aggression’ in the ‘dark hallway’.
Serena claimed: “He shouted: ‘We just got the chinese woman out and now we only need to get rid of you and your s**aca husband.”
S**aca is a racial slur used against people from Latin America. Serena’s husband is from Peru.
Serena claims he added: “English wh**e, I’m going to hit you and say it was your s**aca husband and they will believe me and send him to jail.”
As Serena moved away, she claims the neighbour lunged at her, forcing her to scream: “He’s attacking me!”
It was at that moment she sprayed him with her homemade cleaner.
The next morning, two Guardia Civil agents appeared at her door, informing her that the neighbour had reported her for ‘injuring his eyes’.
Serena claims her neighbour’s eyes were not injured in the incident.
The next day, Serena went to the Moaña Guardia Civil to make her own report but claims she was ‘rejected’.
The Guardia Civil and Policia Nacional have been contacted for comment.
