'I've wasted my life. And I'm still going': Long-term offender accused of attacking ex sobs since his release

Me Olivia Betoe, the defense attorney, won her case. MIDI LIBRE – CHARLES LEDUC

After spending a total of 25 years in prison, he was brought before the Alès Criminal Court, in the Gard, this Monday, August 12, to explain his alleged actions since 2022. A further investigation was ordered and the magistrates had to decide whether or not to keep this accused in detention.

He is 60 years old, has a long criminal record and has spent 25 years of his life behind bars. He finds himself, this Monday, August 12, early in the afternoon, in the dock of the Alès court, in the Gard, because he is accused of having attacked his former partner, as well as his two daughters, in La Grand-Combe, since 2022. That is to say since his release after the incarceration he served following his sentence to six years in prison, for drug trafficking, handed down in June 2017. He is accused of trying to set fire to his ex's vehicle, of threatening to kill her, of tagging insults on walls, of harassing her…

The alleged victim does not dare attend the hearing

Me Silvia Geelhaar, lawyer for the civil party, indicates that her client "filed 24 complaints", that she is present in the room of the lost steps, but that she does not wish to attend this trial, fearing ;rsquo;be "confronted" to the accused.

The reasons for additional judicial information

Quickly, Marie-Lucie Godard, the president of the hearing, announced her intention to order additional judicial information, & ;quot;because the victim sent the prosecution a letter and a USB key which were not used", to which was added a letter from her daughters "where they explain what they are going through". This, especially since, the judge specifies, the accused would mostly contest the facts.

“I was in love with this girl ; I loved this woman…”

After the additional investigation was decided, the sixty-year-old, who has been living in Nîmes for a month, sobs, during the examination of his personality, that in light of his criminal record, he has “ruined (his) life". “And I continue”, he said. “I was in love with this girl ; I loved this woman…”

The prosecution requests continued detention

Far from being moved to pity, the victims' counsel, in the event of this repeat offender being placed under judicial supervision, indicates that’“It is important that Monsieur, under no circumstances, be able to approach (his) client and her children”. Which is clearly not what Cindy Fernandez, the deputy public prosecutor, wants, as she is requesting that he remain in pre-trial detention until the trial: “Clearly, today, everything is against Monsieur. Everything is against his release. He is in Nîmes, but until not long ago, he was around Madame's house. He has real difficulty in detaching himself from it…"

The defense requests a placement under judicial supervision

"To keep in detention for the sake of keeping in detention, at some point, you have to ask yourself the right questions", replies Me Olivia Betoe. “The rule of law must be applied to personality.” For her, who focuses on the defendant's state of health, the court is faced with “a bedridden person, there is no other word to describe him”. And she is pleased with the additional investigation ordered, because she is “convinced that it will be seen that he is not the devil that we are depicting". She advocates for “judicial supervision with strict prohibitions” and assures that this man “will not flee".

What the magistrates of the court decide ?

Finally, the court trusts him and decides to place him under judicial supervision until his trial on October 14. Until then, the defendant must not come into contact with the victim and her family, is banned from staying in La Grand-Combe and must undergo treatment.

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