In an irregular situation, this 31-year-old Syrian also received a permanent ban from the national territory.
A 31-year-old Syrian, Toufik Abouhichra, was sentenced on Tuesday August 23 by the Reims criminal court to five years in prison for the rape of two women, learned Le Figaro.
In French law, rape is a crime and is in principle dealt with by an assize court. But the file in question was “correctionalized“, in agreement with the victims. Clearly, the rapes have been reclassified as sexual assaults. The defendant, without a residence permit and in France for 14 months, was sentenced to the maximum penalty incurred, after a hearing behind closed doors. He also received a permanent ban from the national territory. After denying the facts in police custody, denouncing a conspiracy, he invoked “the alcohol” during the trial, claiming “have no more memories“.
Read alsoReims: a Syrian suspected of two rapes in the middle of the street
The first rape took place on February 20. A 25-year-old young woman spends the evening in a nightclub with her friends in downtown Reims. She leaves the establishment, alone, around 5am. As she walks back to her home, she feels someone following her. The latter takes him to a small square and imposes oral sex on him. A mouth swab taken from the victim allows investigators to collect the DNA of his attacker.
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The victim slapped, raped and robbed
The second rape occurs on July 2 under similar circumstances. A 36-year-old woman spends the evening in a restaurant and then in bars in downtown Reims with several girlfriends. She returns home around 5:30 a.m. Like the first victim, she feels the presence of an individual on her steps. The latter jostles her in the porch of his building and pulls her hair to bring her to her knees. The man then slaps her and imposes oral sex on her before leaving by stealing her mobile phone. The DNA collected corresponds to that of the February 20 case. The man, stuck at the Reims police station for violence, is confused.
“I pleaded it was a predator. The victims described a dark look and precise gestures during their attack“Explains Me Camille Romdane, who defends the second victim. “My client is very shocked and sees a psychologist once a week. She moved and changed apartments. She is afraid and no longer walks alone in the street“, continues the lawyer.
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