A British helicopter pilot has been locked up for 20 years after stabbing a man to death during a weekend chemsex binge in Spain.
Pilot Stabs Man Six Times in Drug-Fuelled Frenzy
Aaron Rainbow, 50, from Surrey, was found guilty of fatally stabbing 38-year-old Oscar Tornero six times. The chilling attack unfolded at Tornero’s home in Vallgorguina, just north of Barcelona, during a weekend soaked in crystal meth and GHB.
Rainbow insisted he acted in self-defence, convinced he was being watched and feared for his life. The jury, however, rejected his claim in an 8-1 verdict, sentencing him to Spain’s maximum 20 years behind bars.
Judge Slams Pilot, Refuses Sentence Cut for Drug Use
Trial judge Carmen Sucias Rodriguez showed no mercy, delivering the full 20-year sentence and denying Rainbow’s lawyers’ request for leniency because of drug intoxication.
Rainbow must also pay nearly £470,000 in compensation to Tornero’s family and ex-partner, with over £300,000 earmarked for the victim’s daughter.
‘Paranoid’ Pilot Claimed He Thought He Was Being Watched
At trial, Rainbow said he wasn’t in control during the stabbing, blaming drug-induced paranoia. He feared Tornero was live-streaming their encounter and that strangers lurked outside to rape him.
“My instinct told me I was in serious trouble,” Rainbow testified.
Neighbours reported hearing Rainbow shout, “I’ll f*****g kill you,” as Tornero tried to flee—only to collapse and die in the street below.
Family Slams Police for Ignoring Key Digital Evidence
Rainbow’s family claimed police bungled the investigation by failing to examine electronic devices that could prove he was being watched.
His brother Dan told the court: “Aaron thought people were watching online via cameras. He grabbed the knife in self-defence.”
The family likened the bizarre case to a “Netflix thriller” but stressed the grim reality behind the horrific murder.
Rainbow’s two years in custody awaiting trial will count towards his sentence.
