José Luis Castro

José Luis Castro is a judge of penitentiary surveillance at the Audiencia Nacional, a high court in Spain. He is currently newsworthy due to his recent decision to grant conditional release to Pablo Crespo Sabaris, the 'number two' figure in the Gürtel corruption scandal. Crespo, a former secretary of Organization of the PP (People's Party) of Galicia, had served more than two-thirds of his 18-year sentence, exceeding 12 years in prison. Castro's ruling, detailed in an order accessed by El País, allows Crespo's release under conditions, marking a significant development in the long-running Gürtel case, which has had major political repercussions in Spain. The release highlights the ongoing legal processes related to individuals convicted in the Gürtel scandal and the role of penitentiary surveillance judges in determining the conditions of their release.