Paris (AFP)

Former Secretary of State Jean-Vincent Placé was fined for sexual harassment of a gendarme in 2016, while he was a member of the government under François Hollande, we learned from the lawyers on Tuesday. , confirming information from Le Monde.

The regional councilor of Ile-de-France was sentenced on March 1 within the framework of an appearance on preliminary admission of guilt (CRPC, sort of "plead-guilty" to the French), to 100 days-fine at 50 euros which, if not paid, turns into imprisonment, as well as to pay 2,000 euros in damages to the victim.

The facts date from October 25, 2016: returning from a dinner, the elected representative tried to kiss a gendarme responsible for the security of his official apartment, on duty that evening, telling her: "Come with me and you will see, it will be nice, ”revealed Le Monde.

At the time, the victim had reported this episode to his hierarchy and Jean-Vincent Placé, Secretary of State for State Reform and Simplification, then admitted the facts.

But over time, the gendarme "rehashed" this scene and finally decided to file a complaint in 2020, after a discussion with a police officer as part of another procedure, said his lawyer.

The victim "felt the aggression of a man on a woman but above all the negation of his quality as a soldier and his function", declared Me Yves Claisse.

Jean-Vincent Placé's lawyer also confirmed the information from Le Monde, while specifying that the chosen one "was condemned for having + approached his face (that of the victim) as if to kiss him + - these are there the exact words used by the victim himself - and having offered to come and have a drink at his place ".

Jean-Vincent Placé "has already executed the decision pronounced against him, by spontaneously proceeding to the payment of the fine as of the entirety of the sums due to the victim", continued Me Sébastien Muratyan.

This conviction will not appear on his criminal record.

In September 2018, the elected official, now 53, was given a three-month suspended prison sentence and a 1,000 euros fine for violence and insults during an alcoholic and very eventful evening in Paris.

The sentence had also not been entered in his record.

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