A 29-year-old Colombian man has been arrested in Torrevieja and is due to be deported after killing his ex-partner’s cat in a brutal street attack. National Police confirmed he was detained on Monday following a court order to enforce a five-year expulsion from Spain.

The attack took place in April in the San Roque district. The man struck the cat more than 20 times with a broom handle and continued kicking the animal after it was motionless. He was arrested by Local Police and prosecuted for animal cruelty with aggravating factors and for gender-based violence in the form of vicarious violence.

A court in Torrevieja ordered his immediate deportation on 13 May. The sentence was confirmed after a fast-track hearing, where the defendant accepted expulsion in place of a possible prison term. As he did not have regular immigration status, the expulsion will prevent him from returning to Spain or travelling within the European Union for five years.

The animal welfare group Asociación Leal, which acted as a private prosecutor, described the ruling as unprecedented and exemplary. The case sparked public protests in Torrevieja, where dozens gathered to demand justice for the cat, named Nala.