Former French senator, Joël Guerriau, 68, has been convicted of spiking a colleague's drink with ecstasy in an attempt to sexually assault her, a verdict that has sent shockwaves through the French political landscape.
Guerriau, who has appealed the decision, received a four-year prison sentence, with 18 months to be served behind bars. Guerriau was a centrist senator representing Loire-Atlantique until 2025.
'I discovered an attacker'
The incident occurred in November 2023 in Paris, when Guerriau allegedly administered a dose of MDMA into a glass of champagne served to Sandrine Josso, a 50-year-old member of the MoDem party.
Josso, who attended Guerriau's flat in the chic 6th arrondissement for a celebration, described feeling unwell shortly after drinking.
She experienced palpitations, nausea, and difficulty standing, prompting her to leave abruptly and seek medical attention. Toxicology reports confirmed a high concentration of ecstasy in her system, along with traces of the drug found at Guerriau's residence.
'[I came] with a light heart to celebrate his re-election. As the evening went on, I discovered an attacker,' Josso told the court.
During the trial, Josso recounted her distress, stating she believed she was close to death after feeling the drug's effects. She had visited Guerriau's apartment motivated by a celebratory mood, unaware of his intentions.
She mentioned she was the only guest, to which she found it quite bizarre.
'I thought maybe it was a bad champagne. Then he insisted that we toast again. I found that odd,' Josso said.
Her testimony highlighted her physical and psychological ordeal, including needing to have four teeth extracted due to stress-induced grinding and undergoing extensive psychological treatment.
Josso's legal team said she was suffering from 'physical treatment, psychological and psychiatric follow-up, nightmares, flashbacks, dissociation,' where Josso needed six months off.
'With the aim of raping her'
Guerriau admitted to making a grave mistake but denied any intent to assault. He claimed that he had prepared the ecstasy to calm a panic attack the day before the event but decided against taking it.
'In short, I am an idiot,' he said before the judge.
The former senator expressed remorse, describing himself as an 'idiot' and stating he hoped Josso might forgive him someday. His defense argued that the drug was not intended for malicious purposes but was a misjudgment.
'I feel really sorry for Sandrine. That's something I never wanted,' Guerriau told the court. 'I hope one day she'll forgive me,' he added.
Despite his apologies, the court found Guerriau guilty of deliberately spiking Josso's drink with the aim of sexual assault.
The state prosecutor emphasized Guerriau's premeditated actions, citing that he had searched online for information about drugs related to rape about a month prior to the incident.
Investigators noted that Guerriau's online activity was consistent with research on ecstasy, which he claimed was part of his work as a senator.
Legal proceedings and future developments
The verdict has broader implications amid ongoing concerns about drug-facilitated sexual assaults in France. Josso has become a prominent figure in the country's fight against such crimes, co-authoring a parliamentary report and participating in investigations into drug-related sexual violence.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
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