The Assize Court of Douai, in the North.

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G. Durand / 20 Minutes

“Fabien L. was massacred, free of charge”.

The prosecution requested, on Thursday, sentences of 20 and 15 years imprisonment against two cousins ​​accused of aggravated attempted murder.

He also demanded a firm year and four reprieve for a third man, accused of complicity and who had told the investigators everything.

Mohamed A. and Bilal B., aged 19 and 20 at the time of the events, have been on trial for a week before the Assizes du Nord in Douai.

They are accused of having, on the night of May 27 to 28, 2015 in Libercourt, in the Pas-de-Calais, savagely beaten a father who was looking for his dog in their city, before burning his car in a near field.

Both have denied the facts since the start of the investigation.

The third man's confession

Out of the vehicle at the last minute, Fabien L. was found almost dead, second-degree burnt on 20% of the body and victim of a head trauma.

Remained handicapped, he does not remember that night of nightmare.

The accusation is largely based on the confession of the third man, Mohamed B., who claims to have been forced by the two cousins ​​to fill a can of gasoline, then to accompany them to the crime scene.

"For this flurry of blows […] which took Fabien L. to the borders of death", and "deprived him of his life as a father, worker, athlete", the Advocate General, Olivier Agnus, said demanded “heavy sentences”: 20 years of criminal imprisonment against Mohamed A., “the most dangerous […] the ringleader” and 15 years against Bilal B., who had “smashed a bottle of vodka on the head Of the victim, then followed his cousin in this surge of violence.

"A leap of humanity"

"But he had a burst of humanity", taking the victim out of the safe at the last moment, according to the account of Mohamed B., he noted.

During the hearing, the Advocate General had "held out a pole" to Bilal B. asking him if it was he who had taken Fabien L. out of the burning vehicle.

He persisted in denying his presence at the scene.

Regarding Mohamed B., who acted "under fear" and "threat", he asked for acquittal for "complicity in attempted murder", but one year in prison and four suspended sentences, for his participation in the fire.

The jury's verdict is scheduled for Friday afternoon.

Lille

"Our life will never be the same", testifies the wife of a victim of assault

Lille

Found naked and burned next to a car in the fields

  • Douai

  • Violence

  • Lille

  • Handicap

  • Trial

  • Assize court

  • Murder