Lyhanna case: brother of suspect charged with sexual violence
The elder of the Barella brothers is being questioned by investigators in Auch for sexual assault against teenagers, domestic violence and unlawful confinement committed over a decade.
Lyhanna case: brother of suspect charged with sexual violence
The elder of the Barella brothers is being questioned by investigators in Auch for sexual assault against teenagers, domestic violence and unlawful confinement committed over a decade.
Yannick Barella was arrested and placed in custody on Monday, 8 June at the police station of the Gers prefecture. Officers have been interviewing him for two days. A hearing before an investigating judge is being considered for this Tuesday afternoon.
The alleged offences date from the period 2007–2017. A victim filed a complaint twenty-four months ago, revealing serious misconduct: sexual abuse of minors aged over fifteen, brutality towards his partner, confinement and intimidation with threats of homicide.
The two brothers lived in the same department but had become estranged over the years. In the municipality of Montestruc, where Jérôme, the younger brother and alleged murderer of the child, resided, the atmosphere remains heavy. The streets of the town are empty, residents in shock.
A local resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, recalled the suspect's disturbing comments: "He held unusual discourse. According to him, teenage girls were easy, they had numerous relations with adults from the secondary school. He talked about his personal life. It is humiliating to have known an individual of this nature."
The first magistrate of Montestruc, Anne-Marie Pisoni, conveyed the feelings of the population: "We hosted a sexual predator, the community is deeply wounded. The locality must regain its calm, particularly around the school."
Jérôme Barella, charged with the murder of Lyhanna, is currently held in preventive detention in solitary confinement in a prison in the south of the country. The mother of the deceased, Charly Rameau, posted a message of gratitude on her Facebook page: "I wish to express my gratitude to all those who have stood by us since the start of this nightmare."
The victim's parents' representative is due to speak to the press this Tuesday afternoon.
Source: France Info
Source: France Info