He had made the residents of his residence, near Montpellier, go through hell.

La procureure a dénoncé le “mépris pour la justice” du prévenu. Midi Libre – RICHARD DE HULLESSEN

A young person was sentenced to an 18-month prison sentence, 12 of which were suspended, by the Montpellier Criminal Court, for acts committed in Grabels, from January 1 to March 12.

For several months, the residents of a residence in Grabels experienced hell. A tenant actually clandestinely connected his meter to the common electrical installations. "First through the false ceiling, then in the technical cupboards", explained the representative of the company concerned, before the Montpellier criminal court.

“I was afraid there would be a serious fire,” she added. There was reason, since the electrician, who came several times, noticed that "burns were beginning to develop", recalled the prosecutor.

It is for this reason that Yanis, aged 30, was tried for "endangering the lives of others by clearly deliberate violation of a regulatory obligation of safety or prudence, acts committed from January 1 to March 12, by the court. The opportunity to learn that he had received an energy check for 250 € which he had not used to pay his electricity bills.

He was also tried for theft with damage, and damage to someone else's property. The Montpellier man had in fact climbed a pole to snatch a camera, in order to commit his misdeeds out of sight.

"He had also stopped paying his rent of 450 €, of which 300 € de Caf, a month after his arrival in the apartment, informs the company representative. However, the owner had offered to spread his debt."

Never present at his home between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Yanis had emptied a trash container in the hallway, to show his dissatisfaction following the removal of his Caf rights. He finally boasted to the gendarmes that he would never be at home between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., in order to avoid being evicted by force. His arrest took place on a public highway…

In court, the defendant abandoned his arrogance to keep a low profile. "I realize that what I was doing could be dangerous,” he said half-heartedly.

The prosecutor denounced her "contempt for justice. He was tried on February 27 for the same facts and left before his judgment sentencing him to a prison sentence without a committal warrant."

She requested three years of imprisonment, one of which was suspended, with a committal warrant, as well as the revocation of a previous suspended sentence of six months.

"Detention won't solve anything for him"

"I hear these particularly severe requisitions but detention will not resolve anything concerning him, declared the defendant’s lawyer. Care is essential for him. His total detachment is striking. I'm worried about what's next.

Yanis was finally sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment, 12 of which were suspended, and taken to the Villeneuve-les-Maguelone remand center. He will also have to complete three months of detention corresponding to the revocation of a previous suspended sentence.

He will be prohibited from appearing at the scene of his crime or from contacting residents. He will also have to work or train, take care of himself and compensate the company which has become a civil party to the amount of 2,211 €.