Former French Senator Sentenced for Drugging Colleague with MDMA

A Paris court on Tuesday sentenced former French senator Joel Guerriau to four years in prison, with 18 months to be served behind bars, after finding him guilty of drugging a fellow lawmaker with MDMA with intent to sexually assault her.The 68-year-old former centrist politician was convicted of spiking National Assembly MP Sandrine Josso's champagne with ecstasy during a private celebration at his Paris apartment in November 2023. The case has drawn significant attention as France continues to grapple with high-profile sexual violence cases following the recent Dominique Pelicot mass rape trial.Josso, 50, testified that she had visited Guerriau's residence in the capital's affluent 6th arrondissement "with a light heart to celebrate his re-election." She described noticing the champagne tasted "sweet and sticky" after Guerriau poured it in his kitchen, but initially attributed it to poor-quality alcohol."As the evening went on, I discovered an attacker," Josso told the court, describing how she soon experienced a racing heart rate and felt compelled to leave hastily before seeking medical attention. Toxicology tests revealed high levels of MDMA in her bloodstream, while police discovered ecstasy at Guerriau's apartment.The incident has had severe consequences for Josso, who required six months off work, underwent extensive medical and psychological treatment, and suffered physical symptoms including teeth grinding that necessitated the removal of four teeth. "It was a huge relief," she said following Tuesday's verdict.Guerriau maintained his innocence regarding sexual intent, claiming he had prepared the drugged glass the previous day to help manage a panic attack but decided against consuming it. "In short, I am an idiot," he told the court. His legal team announced plans to appeal the conviction.Prosecutor Benjamin Coulon emphasized the gravity of the case, noting that Guerriau, as a senator from 2011 to 2025, had actually voted for legislation criminalizing the administration of harmful substances with intent to commit sexual assault. "The emotion was unanimous, the disgust legitimate," acknowledged defense lawyer Henri Carpentier.The court also imposed a five-year ban from public office and ordered Guerriau's placement on the sex offenders' register. He resigned from the Senate in October and was expelled from the center-right Horizons party following the charges.This case emerges against the backdrop of France's evolving legal framework on sexual violence, with the country having recently adopted consent as a central element in its definition of rape, aligning with other European nations including the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.Source: France24