The Angers Court of Appeals Trial Chamber on Wednesday ordered the detention of a 50-year-old peacekeeper on suspicion of rape. The grievor is the subject of complaints by eight women who have reported harassment and sexual assault. One of them said that she was raped. The facts were committed over a period from May 2018 to May 2019, sources close to the case.
The police officer was indicted on 12 September by an examining magistrate for rape, harassment and sexual assault. The liberty and detention judge had ordered his placement under judicial supervision, against the opinion of the prosecutor's office, which had required his imprisonment. But the magistrates of the court of appeal decided Wednesday to reverse the decision of the judge of freedoms and detention. The police officer was therefore placed in pre-trial detention.
The accused challenges the most serious facts
The Angers public prosecutor had immediately appealed the order of the liberty judge, and the Appeals Chamber of the Court of Appeal had examined the file at an in camera hearing on 9 October. For Ms. Isabelle Oger-Ombredane, who defends the interests of two complainants, Wednesday's decision shows "there is no special treatment" and that the judiciary "worked well". "The investigating chamber has a strict application of the criminal law," said the side of the lawyer's lawyer, Olivier Rolland who recalls that his client challenges "the most serious allegations".
After spending some 20 years in the Angers night brigade, the 50-year-old peacekeeper was assigned in January 2018 to the La Roseraie neighborhood police station. As part of these new duties, the officer allegedly abused his status to obtain or attempt to obtain sexual favors, according to sources close to the case.
Entered by the Angers public prosecutor, the IGPN is in charge of the investigation. From an administrative point of view, the official was officially suspended by an order of the Minister of the Interior at the end of September.