Although the former Secretary of State, Georges Tron, admitted not to be "a healthy", he continues to claim his innocence before the Assize Court, which judges him for rape and sexual assault.

For his first explanations before the Assize Court, which has been judging him for three weeks, former Secretary of State Georges Tron admitted Monday that he is not a "saint" but has claimed his innocence in the face of two former employees of his town hall of Draveil who accuse him of rapes.

These two women, Virginie Ettel and Éva Loubrieu, accuse Mr. Tron and his former cultural assistant Brigitte Gruel of having imposed touching and digital penetrations between 2007 and 2010 in a three-way relationship. "I never had a sexual relationship with Ms. Gruel. I have never had in my sex life scenes with three, four, " says Georges Tron, back straight, strong voice, shirt collar open under his dark jacket.

Hearing also on Monday for the first time on the merits, Brigitte Gruel also denied any intimate relationship with his co-accused and the two complainants. This case forced Georges Tron to resign as Secretary of State in the Public Service in May 2011.

A "sexualized climate" at Draveil Town Hall

In the face of the defendants, the president of the Assize Court, Philippe Coirre, warns: several witnesses reported that there was a "sexualized climate" at the town hall "which could make plausible the scenes described" by the plaintiffs.

The mayor (LR) of Draveil since 1995 recognizes only a "flirt" with a former parliamentary attaché and an extramarital relationship - still in progress - with her assistant Urbanism Sylvie Doncarli. "I have never tried to be a saint. This affair led me to see all my personal life displayed on the public square. I do not flatter myself for having betrayed the trust of my wife . " His audition is scheduled to continue on Tuesday.

" Days of deep discouragement" for Georges Tron

In turn, the President of the Assize Court, Eva Loubrieu's lawyer, Loïc Guérin, and the Advocate General reminded Ms. Gruel that she can disassociate herself from the mayor. "It's never too late to go back on certain declarations, to confess things," slips Me Guérin.

The Attorney General asked him to look him in the eye, saying that he saw "tears of guilt, moral guilt" at her home when a complainant had described an alleged assault. "I was not crying on Virginie (Ettel), I was crying over my family," says Brigitte Gruel.

The defendants deplore the repercussions of the case for them and their relatives. Georges Tron said he went through "moments of profound discouragement" after his resignation from the Fillon government, but decided "very quickly" to fight.

A proof of the "panic" of Georges Tron

The president asks him about a move of September 2011, which can be interpreted, he stresses, as a sign of "panic" . In a letter, Georges Tron asked Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Pierre Lellouche to accelerate a refund of VAT for a company. But this corresponded to the request of an intermediary who had wanted to cash a recording Eva Loubrieu pirate.

For the defense, this recording accredits the thesis of a political conspiracy. We hear the plaintiff say, "I have all the machine of the FN also behind . " Georges Tron claims to have written to Pierre Lellouche at the request of his lawyer at the time "without knowing the purpose" .

"I am a good little soldier"

And why constitute, after their departure from the town hall and before their complaints, a file against the accusers?

"These pieces could give the impression that you had something to fear and anticipated a kind of backfire," remarks the president. "I had nothing to reproach myself , " says Brigitte Gruel, saying simply have kept the file at the request of the mayor. "I am a good little soldier" .

Georges Tron explains that he had heard, shortly after his arrival at the ministry in spring 2010, that Virginie Ettel "spread slander" . "I asked my chief of staff in the ministry to look at all this closely," he explains. "When slander is widespread, we can see the effect it can have ... And the effect it has had. "

The trial, which opened on October 23 before the Seine-Saint-Denis meeting, has entered its fourth and final week. The verdict is expected Thursday.