After Evening Invitation, Offered Alcohol... "Felt Unwell After Drinking"
Prosecutors: "If Guilty, Lawmaker Will Not Enjoy Immunity"
A French senator has been arrested on charges of attempting to sexually assault a female lawmaker.
According to AFP news agency on the 17th (local time), investigative authorities arrested and detained centrist Senator Jo?l Guerriau (66) at his Paris residence the previous day. He is accused of drugging Deputy Sandrine Josso with ecstasy at a dinner gathering in an attempt to sexually assault her. Ecstasy is a psychoactive drug that causes hallucinations.
The prosecution confirmed the related details, stating, "Senator Guerriau is suspected of administering a substance that could impair the victim's judgment or self-control without her knowledge, with the intent to commit a sexual crime."
On the night of the 14th, Senator Guerriau invited Deputy Sandrine Josso to his home and offered her alcohol. Josso's lawyer told local media, "About 20 minutes after drinking, Deputy Josso felt cold sweats and a rapid heartbeat."
Without showing signs of discomfort, Deputy Josso left the place and arrived at the National Assembly around 10 p.m., where she received emergency treatment. Subsequent blood and urine tests at the hospital detected ecstasy in her system.
Deputy Josso immediately filed a complaint against Senator Guerriau with the investigative authorities. She stated, "I saw Senator Guerriau picking up a small plastic bag containing a white substance from a kitchen drawer."
Following this, investigators searched Senator Guerriau's residence and found a packet of ecstasy. Senator Guerriau, who remains in custody, underwent a confrontation interview with Deputy Josso on the same day.
The prosecution stated, "Even as a senator, if such criminal acts are proven, parliamentary immunity cannot be invoked," adding, "If Senator Guerriau is found guilty, he will face a prison sentence of five years and a fine of 75,000 euros (approximately 100 million KRW)."
However, Senator Guerriau's lawyer told the media, "The obscene interpretations that can be inferred from the initial reports are far from the truth," and claimed, "During the confrontation interview, my client strongly explained the facts, and at this stage, no illegal acts have been identified."
Formerly a banker, Senator Guerriau served as mayor of a town in the Loire-Atlantique region in his 30s and was elected to the Senate in 2011. He currently serves as the vice-chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
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