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| Doctor acquitted in 'stolen babies' case in Spain | Doctor acquitted in 'stolen babies' case in Spain |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Madrid court has acquitted a former doctor of stealing newborn babies from their mothers and supplying them to infertile couples. | A Madrid court has acquitted a former doctor of stealing newborn babies from their mothers and supplying them to infertile couples. |
| The court found gynaecologist Eduardo Vela, 85, had committed the crimes but charges were dropped because too much time had elapsed. | The court found gynaecologist Eduardo Vela, 85, had committed the crimes but charges were dropped because too much time had elapsed. |
| He is the first person to go on trial for illegal adoptions that took place during and after the fascist dictatorship of General Franco. | He is the first person to go on trial for illegal adoptions that took place during and after the fascist dictatorship of General Franco. |
| Thousands more cases are suspected. | |
| The Vela case focused on Inés Madrigal, allegedly abducted in 1969. | |
| After Franco's triumph in Spain's 1936-1939 civil war, many children were removed from families identified by the fascist regime as Republicans and given to families considered more deserving. | |
| The most serious abduction charge was brought against Vela by Ms Madrigal in April 2012, but there is a statute of limitation of 10 years. | |
| She was in court for the verdict, but Vela was absent. | |
| Prosecutors had sought an 11-year jail term for Vela. The Spanish Supreme Court can still appeal against the verdict. | |
| The Madrid provincial court found he had committed three crimes - abduction, fraud over pregnancy and forgery of documents. |