Listen to the article
Former French Senator Sentenced for Drugging Fellow Lawmaker
A Paris court on Tuesday sentenced former French senator Joël Guerriau to 18 months in prison after finding him guilty of drugging a fellow lawmaker with the intent to sexually assault or rape her, a case that has brought renewed attention to drug-facilitated assault in France.
The 68-year-old Guerriau was also given a 2.5-year suspended sentence, ordered to undergo treatment, and banned from holding public office. His lawyer announced plans to appeal the ruling.
The victim, National Assembly lawmaker Sandrine Josso, 50, testified that Guerriau invited her to his Paris apartment in November 2023 to celebrate his reelection. The two had maintained a friendly professional relationship for years prior to the incident.
“I really felt myself slipping away,” Josso told the court, describing how she experienced heart palpitations shortly after taking a few sips of champagne. She recounted feeling increasingly uneasy as Guerriau appeared unusually agitated and repeatedly turned lights on and off in the apartment.
Josso testified that Guerriau took her glass to the kitchen for a refill, at which point she noticed him holding “a little bag.” This observation led her to suspect she had been drugged. Despite her deteriorating condition, she managed to leave the apartment and take a taxi home.
“My legs were shaking, I was extremely thirsty,” she recalled, her voice breaking during testimony. “I think about my children, I call my colleague, I tell him that I’m going to die.”
Subsequent blood tests revealed Josso had ingested MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, at levels far exceeding those typically associated with recreational use. The incident has left her with lasting trauma, including sleep disorders, difficulty eating, panic attacks, and severe teeth grinding from stress that required multiple tooth extractions.
Guerriau admitted to serving Josso a drink containing MDMA but claimed it was accidental. In his testimony, he frequently appeared vague and confused, attributing his poor recollection to depression at the time of the incident. He told the court that another senator had given him MDMA powder months earlier, which he had never used.
The former senator offered a convoluted explanation for the drugging, saying he had placed the substance in a glass he intended to use himself the evening before Josso’s visit but changed his mind. He claimed he then mistakenly used the same glass to serve champagne to Josso the following day.
“I don’t have the words. It’s very serious,” Guerriau told the court. “I’m devastated.”
His defense was undermined by evidence that he had conducted online searches about ecstasy in connection with rape approximately one month before the incident. Guerriau maintained these searches were part of his work as a senator to better understand the issue.
Guerriau resigned from his senate position in October, characterizing it as a political decision unrelated to the legal proceedings against him.
The case has drawn national attention in France, coming amid heightened awareness of drug-facilitated sexual assault. It follows another landmark drugging-and-rape case that turned victim Gisèle Pelicot into a global icon in the fight against sexual violence.
For Josso, the verdict represents a crucial step in her healing process. “I want the truth to come out. It’s important to me,” she told the court, emphasizing the significance of accountability in cases of drug-facilitated assault.
The sentencing marks one of the highest-profile convictions of a French politician for such offenses in recent years, potentially setting a precedent for how similar cases might be handled in the future.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
10 Comments
This is a disturbing but important story. Lawmakers should be held to the highest ethical standards, and it’s good to see accountability for such an egregious abuse of power. Hopefully, this case encourages more victims to come forward.
This is a disturbing case that highlights the serious issue of drug-facilitated sexual assault. It’s good to see the perpetrator facing significant consequences, though the victim’s experience must have been traumatic. We need stronger measures to prevent such crimes and protect vulnerable individuals.
Agreed. Drugging and assaulting a fellow lawmaker is a betrayal of public trust. I hope the victim receives the support and justice she deserves.
Drugging a fellow lawmaker to sexually assault her is a shocking and egregious abuse of power. I’m glad to see the French justice system take this case seriously and impose a significant sentence. Hopefully, this will encourage more victims to come forward.
While the details of this case are deeply disturbing, I’m relieved to see the perpetrator facing real consequences. Drug-facilitated sexual assault is an underreported and devastating crime that requires stronger legal protections and support systems for victims.
Absolutely. This case highlights the urgent need for greater awareness, prevention, and victim support around this issue, especially among those in positions of power. I hope it leads to meaningful reforms and changes.
While the details are appalling, I’m glad the French justice system took this case seriously. Drug-facilitated assault is an underreported and devastating crime that requires greater awareness and action to address.
Absolutely. This case sheds light on an important issue that affects many people, often in the shadows. Increased education and resources for victims are critical.
Sexual assault is always unacceptable, but the added element of drugging the victim makes this case particularly heinous. I hope the former senator’s sentence sends a strong message and that the victim receives the support she needs to heal.
Agreed. The violation of trust and abuse of power in this case is appalling. Victims of drug-facilitated assault often face unique challenges, so I hope resources are available to support the lawmaker through this traumatic experience.