On December 23, Jean-Luc Lahaye was to go back on stage. Justice decided otherwise by toughening his sentence.
He had announced that he would find part of his audience on December 23, for an event concert for his 70th birthday. But now justice has indeed decided otherwise. Indicted for rape of minors, the singer saw his judicial review changed by the judge. On October 4, an order was unveiled in which it is stated that the artist has “the prohibition to exercise the professional activity which would have allowed the commission of the offenses for which he is indicted”. He also no longer has the right to “public appearances and performances as part of his activity as an artist”and prohibition “to carry out an activity involving contact with minors”.
Good news for the plaintiffs, who had then been ulcerated to see that the singer could go back on stage. “For me, it happened largely in the dressing rooms, behind the scenes of the concerts, confided one of the victims to RMC at the beginning of October; So inevitably, I am struck by the programming of these new dates”. But Jean-Luc Lahaye appealed to challenge the order of the investigating judge. This decision must be examined by the investigating chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal.
Jean-Luc Lahaye proclaims his innocence
It was in November 2021 that the interpreter of singer dad had been indicted for rape and sexual assault on minors over 15 years old, following the denunciations of two young women. Released from detention in May 2022, this return to the stage was visibly badly perceived by the courts. One of the victims “also feared that the return to the public of Jean-Luc Lahaye would lead to new alleged rapes”. “He will surely be able to meet other very young fans and I’m afraid that my story will happen again with another young girl”, she explained. The case is still ongoing, Jean-Luc Lahaye continues to say he is innocent.
“He has real power through his popularity and that is the danger”
The deprogramming of this show is therefore good news for complainants: “For me, it happened in the dressing rooms for the most part, backstage at the concerts”, she first said. “So, inevitably, I am shocked that the programming of these new dates is so trivialized. It is precisely his profession as an artist and his notoriety that allow him to act with more ease, he has real power through his popularity and that’s the danger. And I’m just scared for other young girls.” Émeline is also one of the complainants and she accuses Jean-Luc Lahaye of rape. Facts that would have taken place when she was only 16 years old. “I’m really disgusted”, she first claimed. “Because it’s very shocking for us, his victims, to see him go back to his old life and act like nothing at all happened,” she lamented before adding: “He even made a video on social networks to announce this concert in Paris, announcing his big comeback…”.