Attack during the brass band festival in Montpellier: “He was strangling me”, the homophobic nature of the attack recognized

L’agression s’était produite dans une petite rue du quartier Boutonnet ML – GR

Le 1er juin, une jeune femme qui se trouvait avec sa petite amie avait reçu une multitude de coups. Ses trois agresseurs ont été condamnés par le tribunal correctionnel de Montpellier, ce 17 juillet.

On the evening of June 1, the brass band festival was in full swing at the Beaux-Arts and Boutonnet. Two young women, sitting and embracing on the sidewalk of a small street, had been attacked by several people. One of them had been hit multiple times. One of his friends, who had come to his aid, had also received blows.

Following a police investigation, four young people – three men and a woman – had been identified. One of them – Rudy, who was to be placed on an electronic bracelet shortly after the facts, for another matter – has not yet been able to be arrested. There were therefore three – David, Bryan and Jessica – to appear before the Montpellier criminal court, this Wednesday, July 17, in particular for violence aggravated by two circumstances, including “the’sexual orientation of the victim”.

During a first appearance, on June 28, they requested time to prepare their defense. Placed under judicial supervision, David and Bryan were forced to stay away from Montpellier until the trial. They in fact live in Boutonnet, near the home of their victims.

"He was strangling me"

This July 17, they were back in court, just like Jessica who had not appeared on June 28, having felt unwell before the hearing. It was she who set the scene on fire on June 1st. Seeing the two women, Jessica said to one of them: "you want to be a man, you want to fight like a man ? "

The one who had been insulted stood up to ask for explanations. Jessica then called her fiancé, David, who had struck the first blows, immediately joined by Rudy. Before the judges, Jessica and David denied the facts, the latter not admitting to having & ;quot;only given a slap because she had bitten me on the thumb. "He was behind me strangling me with his arm", explained the main victim.

Faced with questions from Judge Alix Fredon, David admitted that he had lied in police custody by declaring that his victim had struck the first blow that evening.

Prison sentences

After a five-hour trial, only David and Jessica were prosecuted. convicted of “violence due to the sexual orientation of the victim”. Their lawyers, Me Tursan and Peytavin-Stockmann, had pleadedé relaxes her. Only violence in meetings was reported. deductions à against Bryan, who was not there at the time. at the time of the homophobic insults, as had been pleaded by Me Paul Gallix.

David, âg&eac; 27 years old and already condemned three times, coped with 12 months in prison, 6 of which were suspended. He will serve the solid part of his sentence under an electronic bracelet.

Bryan, 19 years old, was sentenced to 8 months in prison, a sentence which will be the same as before. also accomplished under electronic monitoring. Shortly before this attack, he had been arrested. condemned &agrav; 18 months imprisonment for burglary.

Finally, Jessica, 27, coped with the crime. 4 months suspended prison sentence. She was é released from the violence against the young man.

Compensation for the main victim, who will undergo a medical-psychological assessment, will be determined in 2025. From now on, the compensation will be determined in 2025. The defendants will have to compensate the young man, as well as the victim's friend who was a civil party. Jessica and David wereé sentenced to pay a symbolic euro à the Fierté association Montpellier Tignes Pride, also civil party.

The three defendants are prohibited from associating with their victims, appearing in public. their home and possess a weapon. They will have to receive treatment, and work or undergo training.

"I suffer from anxiety attacks"

On June 1, the young woman’s ordeal did not end there. Fleeing down Lakanal Street, she was hit again by several men, including Bryan, who has the same last name as Jessica, and also denied the facts.
Confronted with photos of the victim's swollen face, none provided an explanation.

When she had difficulty filing a complaint, two days after the events, she still had multiple bruises, abrasions and lesions on her face. The violence of the 1st  June had claimed a second victim: a friend who had come to the young woman's aid. He had also been hit by David and Rudy, then by Bryan later.

"I suffer from anxiety attacks and I have been taking anxiolytics since the events, confided the main victim to court. I am still off work and I have the stress of meeting my attackers again." Because he recognizes the homophobic nature of aggression, this judgment should contribute to helping the victim rebuild his or her life.

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