the previous senator tried Monday in Paris for having drugged MP Sandrine Josso with a view to rape her | EUROtoday

Former Loire-Atlantique senator Joël Guerriau is on trial, Monday January 26 and Tuesday, earlier than the Paris legal courtroom, for having drugged MP Sandrine Josso with ecstasy with a view to rape her. In this case, typically seen as an emblematic case of chemical submission, the 68-year-old defendant denies any sexual motivation.

On the primary day of his trial, he maintained that he had inadvertently drugged the elected official throughout a tête-à-tête at his Parisian dwelling in November 2023.

At the time, “I was very anxious, very stressed”he mentioned. “It was my tenth election campaign. I was really exhausted. I couldn’t stand going back and forth to Paris any longer. » Noting his discomfort, he said, a fellow senator – whom he refused to name – provided him with a sachet containing an undetermined powder.

Drugs? Joël Guerriau claimed not to have asked the question, maintaining that he simply thought he had a “phytomedicine”A “euphoric” capable of” help “.

“Magic tricks”

The day earlier than the arrival of Sandrine Josso, prey to a “anxiety attack” after a “horrible day”within the phrases of the accused, he reported having poured this powder right into a cup to take it. But he would have lastly modified his thoughts and put the cup within the cabinet, leaving the drug on the backside of the glass, even forgetting its presence. “It seems incomprehensible”remarked, dubiously, President Thierry Donard.

On the night of November 14, 2023, Sandrine Josso, 48 years previous on the time, was invited to the house of the senator, a parliamentary counterpart with whom she had maintained a pleasant relationship for ten years with out the slightest sexual ambiguity. Joël Guerriau desires to have fun his contemporary re-election to the higher home, through which he has served since 2011.

When he arrived round 8 p.m. in his condominium at 6^e district, the MoDem deputy discovers to her nice shock that she is the one visitor. While she waits in the lounge, her host prepares them a glass of champagne within the kitchen, out of sight. Sandrine Josso accepts the glass provided to her, takes a couple of sips. But champagne tastes humorous.

According to the MP, Joël Guerriau seems surprisingly pressing. He criticizes her for not consuming or ingesting, insists on serving her once more. The senator makes “magic tricks” in entrance of his visitor, performs with the lighting within the room by switching the ceiling gentle off then on once more.

Palpitations, nausea, tremors…

After a glass and a half of champagne, accompanied by two fajitas, Sandrine Josso feels signs “weird” : coronary heart palpitations, scorching or chilly flashes, nausea, tremors… Seeing Joël Guerriau dealing with a clear bag and placing it away in a kitchen drawer, the MP panicked.

Pretending to must return to the National Assembly, the MP, in nice misery, having problem even talking or standing, hurriedly left Joël Guerriau’s dwelling, round 10 p.m., and requested fellow MPs to come back decide her up from the Palais-Bourbon.

Transported to hospital, toxicological analyzes revealed extreme ecstasy intoxication of his physique, with the presence of MDMA at 388 nanograms per milliliter of blood. A focus very a lot increased than a leisure consumption of this euphoric drug. Combined with alcohol, MDMA may cause reminiscence lapses.

It was solely through the night, Joël Guerriau instructed his judges, that he out of the blue remembered having forgotten the drug on the backside of one of many two glasses he served.

Arrested the day after the occasions, Joël Guerriau at all times denied having drugged Sandrine Josso to assault her and spoke of a “act of inadvertence” on his half. The former senator, who resigned on October 5 from the Luxembourg Palace, faces 5 years of imprisonment.