Eight Pals Jailed For Beating Teen To Death Outside Club

Eight rugby players accused of killing a teenage lad in a fight outside a nightclub have been jailed, with five of them given life behind bars.

Picture shows the suspects in court during the sentencing, on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They were sentenced to life imprisonment for beating Fernando Baez Sosa to death in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on Jan. 18, 2020. (Newsflash)

Victim Fernando Baez Sosa, 18, was beaten mercilessly by the mob outside the venue in Villa Gesell in January 2020.

He died after he was kicked, punched, and bludgeoned by the gang once they had knocked him to the ground, the court heard.

An autopsy ruled that he died from a cardiac arrest caused by “multiple head injuries that generated a massive intracranial haemorrhage”.

The court in Dolores handed Maximo Thomsen, Matias Benicelli, Enzo Comelli, Ciro Pertossi, and Luciano Pertossi life terms on 6th February for their roles in the killing.

Their co-defendants Blas Cinalli, Ayrton Viollaz, and Lucas Pertossi were given 15 years in prison.

Photo shows Fernando Baez Sosa, undated. He was allegedly beaten to death at the exit of a dance venue in the resort town of Villa Gesell in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on Jan. 18, 2020. (Newsflash)

The eight are friends from Nautico Arsenal Zarate rugby club.

They were on holiday in Villa Gesell when they attacked Fernando, whose parents are immigrants from Paraguay.

The rugby players also beat up friends of the teenager after they tried to defend him.

According to reports, the defendant who gave Fernando the lengthiest beating was 23-year-old Thomsen, who blamed the teenager for his expulsion from the nightclub.

Blood was found on his footwear and a shoe print was found on the victim’s jaw. He fainted in court as the verdict was read out.

Photo shows Fernando Baez Sosa, undated. He was allegedly beaten to death at the exit of a dance venue in the resort town of Villa Gesell in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on Jan. 18, 2020. (Newsflash)

Comelli, 22, was identified as one of the first to strike Fernando, while blood was found on the shirt of 23-year-old Benicelli.

Video footage seen by the court showed 22-year-old Pertossi licking his fingers after the beating, possibly to clean them of Fernando’s blood.

And a witness chillingly told how Pertossi, 21, said “Don’t worry, I’m going to take him as a trophy” as he laid into the victim.

Fernando’s parents said they were “satisfied” with the verdicts but will appeal the lesser sentences handed to three of the group.

Photo shows Fernando Baez Sosa, undated. He was allegedly beaten to death at the exit of a dance venue in the resort town of Villa Gesell in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on Jan. 18, 2020. (Newsflash)

They believe all eight deserve life behind bars.

Although nothing will bring back her son, Graciela Sosa said: “I feel some peace; we got what we were looking for, which was justice.”