A French senator is now under fire after shocking accusations have emerged claiming his intent to drug and rape a colleague. According to the Associated press, 66-year-old Joel Guerriau from the Loire-Atlantique region has been charged with preliminary charges of drugging a fellow lawmaker with intent to rape or sexually assault her.
The senator in question is believed to have served the victim a glass of champagne spiked with ecstasy at his apartment.
On Tuesday evening, November 14, Sandrine Josso visited Joel Guerriau’s apartment where he allegedly gave her a glass of champagne laced with ecstasy. Upon feeling unwell, she quickly left the premises and reported what happened to authorities who then launched an investigation into the matter.
In response to these allegations against him, Guerriau’s lawyer Remi-Pierre Drai stated that any potential drugging was not intentional or meant as harm towards Josso but rather as an “handling error”. He also declared that his client is “not a predator” and will work hard to restore honor for himself and his family.
A French senator is under investigation over suspicion that he spiked a colleague’s drink with the intention of sexually assaulting her. He denies the charges. https://t.co/lLoiqT8evD
— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) November 18, 2023
The charges against him include possession and use of drugs as well as administration of substances intended to impair judgment for committing rape or sexual assault. Although further investigations need to occur before deciding whether or not there will be a trial, he has been released under judicial supervision while having restrictions such as no contact with witnesses or victims put in place.
Additionally, since news broke out about these accusations against him, his political group Horizons (which is allied with President Emmanuel Macron) has suspended him until further notice due to their firm stance against any form of sexual or sexist violence.
It is difficult to predict how this case will turn out given that more investigations are still needed in order to determine if it goes ahead with a trial.
