French singer Patrick Bruel charged with sexual assault, preventative detention avoided
The 67-year-old performer has been charged in four separate cases, including rape and attempted rape, but judges refused the public prosecutor's request for preventative detention.
French singer Patrick Bruel charged with sexual assault, preventative detention avoided
The investigating judges have decided to place French artist Patrick Bruel under judicial supervision, rejecting the request from the Nanterre public prosecutor's office which sought his immediate imprisonment. This decision came at the end of a lengthy hearing during which the 67-year-old man was formally charged in four cases, according to reporting from RTL.
The first charge concerns an alleged rape that occurred in 2008 in the municipality of Neuilly-sur-Seine. A second concerns an attempted sexual assault reported by a Belgian communications professional. According to her account, the alleged acts took place in Brussels ten years later, while she was collaborating with the accused in connection with the promotion of a feature film. Two additional charges were brought for alleged criminal behaviour in 2019, respectively in the cities of Perpignan and Ajaccio.
Beyond these four charges, the investigation also covers other behaviour for which the artist is currently being questioned as an assisted witness. This status could harden as investigations progress. The overall case concerns more than a dozen additional women, for incidents dating from the 1992–2008 period. The case of presenter Flavie Flament, who has publicly testified, will be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Nanterre court.
The defence counsel can now consult all of the investigation materials. Interviews with the complainants continue. The individual retains the ability to practise his profession, with no performance ban having been imposed.
Source: RTL
Source: Google News LU FR