Hooded, he robs a grocery store at night… but is betrayed by his voice and ends up in court in Alès to be tried.

Le braqueur a été jugé au tribunal d’Alès, en comparution immédiate. MIDI LIBRE – CHARLES LEDUC

Le mis en cause est reparti avec une importante somme d’argent en espèces et dit désormais craindre des représailles. Âgé de 24 ans, il a été jugé en comparution immédiate ce lundi 5 août.

On July 31, it was almost midnight when a hooded individual dressed all in black, carrying a handgun, approached a couple in front of a night grocery store, located in the city center of Alès, in the Gard. The criminal pointed his revolver at the back of the neck of the man, an employee of the store, and had the contents of the cash register and an envelope handed to him; despite the courageous intervention of the employee's partner, the robber fled with 420 euros according to him, more than 800 euros according to the victims. But the accused is “relatively easily and quickly arrested”, because, identified by his tone of voice, he was known to the couple for having already been to the supermarket during the day. As for the weapon, it was never found, but the accused assures that it was a toy.

The warning of the presiding judge

Tried this Monday, August 5th in immediate appearance, before the Alès criminal court, the robber, a 24-year-old Alès resident and father of two children, quickly explains that he is afraid of reprisals, because the manager of this grocery store is himself incarcerated. The presiding judge, Marie-Lucie Godard, also reads a threat received and, addressing the public present in the courtroom, warns anyone against any desire to attack the accused. Nevertheless, surprised that the cash register of the shop only contained cash, she turned to the young man: “What's going through your head ?” “I don't know what came over me", he replied, blandly. “I had been drinking a bit and it was the next day that I realized. I should never have done that.” However, he quickly used some of the stolen money to settle a drug debt…

A “surreal scene", according to the public prosecutor

"We won't have all the answers to our questions  “There is a context related to narcotics in this case, we can feel it,” attacks the deputy public prosecutor, Cindy Fernandez, before returning to this “surreal scene.” She is convinced that the defendant had prepared his move:“The impulsive side, I have a little trouble believing it. He knew what he was doing.” She then requests three years of imprisonment, one of which is suspended probation, and continued detention.