Two men were presented to an investigating judge on Monday after the violent assault, followed by rape, of a 40-year-old woman on Saturday morning on the island of Nantes.

The facts occurred around 6 a.m. near the yellow Titan crane, reports the public prosecutor, Renaud Gaudeul.

While walking to a friend's house, the victim was attacked by two young men whom she had just "asked for a lighter to light a cigarette".

They first tried to steal her mobile phone, before beating her, putting her on the ground and forcibly stripping her. 

The two attackers would then have raped her each in turn, then would have tried to rape her a second time, according to the account of the victim reported by the prosecutor.

In addition to the psychological shock, she now presents “multiple traces of physical violence”.

The scene, captured by CCTV cameras, lasts “more than five minutes”.

The third man out of the question

Arrested near the Carrousel des mondes marines a few minutes after the incident following calls from passers-by, the two suspects were in a state of drunkenness and tried to oppose their arrest.

They are Sudanese aged 17 and 27, both "in a regular situation" and "unknown to the police and justice services", indicates Renaud Gaudeul.

The first claims not to have taken part in the rape and to have "tried to dissuade his friend".

The second “contests all the facts” with which he is accused.

They will be prosecuted for gang rape, sexual assault, gang robbery with violence and aggravated violence.

Charges for which they incur 20 years of criminal imprisonment.

The prosecution requested their placement in pre-trial detention.

A third man was also arrested at the site on Saturday morning.

But he claims to be distant from the assault and rape, which CCTV footage confirms.

He was tried on Monday for insulting a police officer and rebellion.

Miscellaneous facts

Nantes: Three men arrested for the gang rape of a woman in the middle of the street

Miscellaneous facts

Nantes: The sexual aggressor locked in the toilets by his victim

  • Justice

  • Island of Nantes

  • Nantes

  • Pays de la Loire

  • Rape