The Bédarician had threatened his neighbors with his chainsaw: he was sentenced to 8 months in prison

Les voisins Рvictimes et pr̩venu Рse font la guerre depuis trois ans. AB РML

L’affaire, qui repose sur un conflit de voisinage, a été examinée et jugée lundi 22 avril par le tribunal de Béziers.

The so-called “chainsaw” case of Bédarieux was judged on Monday April 22, by the Béziers court. The 75-year-old Bédarician, prosecuted for "violence with use or threat of a weapon", in this case a chainsaw , "repeated death threats" and possession of four undeclared rifles, was sentenced to 8 months in prison . The sentence is fully accompanied by a probationary suspension of 18 months, with a ban on coming into contact with one's neighbors and on carrying a weapon for 5 years , ineligibility for one year, withdrawal of hunting license for 5 years and various provisions to be paid to the victims.

The Neighbors' War

The story is that of neighbors who have been at war with each other since 2021. On one side, a couple in their seventies – the man is the defendant – and, on the other, a couple in their forties who filed a civil suit. The latter's lawyer briefly explained the reason which, according to him, explains the dispute: "It’is since my client  was elected to the municipal council of Bédarieux" (in the opposition, Editor's note). In fact, the accused would always park in such a way as to block his neighbors. Few details will be given because, as indicated by the president of the court, Nadège Larochette, the case that will be examined is the one that took place on November 24.

That day, annoyed that his neighbor was filming him – he does it every time he enters and leaves his house – the defendant took his chainsaw, brandished it, turned off, to scare the couple. He also made death threats, gave the finger… The scene was therefore recorded. When the gendarmes arrived, they searched the septuagenarian's house, with a clean record , and found four undeclared hunting rifles.

Hell and Indulgence

At the bar as well as on the civil parties' bench, everyone says they are depressed, followed by professionals. The defendant, under judicial supervision since the events, still does not have the right to live at home. He said in "suffering", wanting to return to live with his wife. The president asks the same question to everyone: "How can we make things calm down ?"  

The defendant promises never to speak to his neighbors again and to park further away. The victims, for their part, will have rather confused speech, and will never recognize that constantly filming their neighbor had perhaps led them to such a level of violence. In this story, finally, warned as victims live "a hell", and not only the couple in their forties, like the ' their lawyer said.

For prosecutor Van Nieuwerburgh, the facts are "proven", &quot ;graves". He requests, among other things, from the presidency "a suspended sentence of at least 12 months", of "take into account the clean record and the’age" of the accused. The defendant's lawyer will defend her client at length and plead "leniency". Indeed, the court instead chose the path of indulgence. 

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