Second woman accuses French senator of drugging her / Photo: GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT - AFP
-
Sherilyn Smith Encourages Women to Embrace Scars as Symbols of Resilience
-
Korea's Severe Asthma Patients Blocked from Biologics by Restrictive Reimbursement Rules
-
Belgium Signs Contract for 20 Rheinmetall Skyranger Air Defence Systems
-
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum Signs Pacts With London and Ottawa Institutions at CIIE
-
Spectrocell Strengthens Product Discovery and Customer Engagement with Bioz Badges
-
Fulcrum Metals PLC Announces Fulcrum to Increase Shareholding in Loyalist
-
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Announces Transaction in Own Shares - November 10
-
New Gold IRA Investing Guide Explains How to Buy Gold in an IRA for American Consumers
-
RBI Data Reveals Divergence in Credit Card Spending and Debit Card Cash Withdrawals
-
First-time boat buyers advised to assess full ownership costs
-
Panthers expected to begin 2027 NRL season away from new stadium
-
Planning and preparation can reduce stress of interstate relocation
-
Sweet As app launches restaurant discovery platform
-
Two more arrested in Carrie Mullane suspected murder investigation
-
Phoenix Restaurants Offer Thanksgiving Dinner to Go for Pickup
-
MLA seeks inquiry into reported sectarian gestures on Ormeau Road
-
Mayo school appeals for information after convent and chapel vandalism
-
Louise O’Reilly attacks Simon Harris over unemployment remarks
-
Virginia overwhelms Arkansas 91-72 behind balanced scoring
-
Canadian soldier Aidan Goulding remembered at Vancouver funeral
-
Second major storm brings destructive winds and outages to British Columbia
-
Tayyab Arif hits 57 on Pakistan Test debut against Sri Lanka
-
Godzilla Minus Zero leads North American box office with $31.6m
-
Robert Trujillo discusses literacy and social justice children’s books
-
Advocate calls for coordinated support for children facing trafficking
-
Civil rights advocate William Bill Tucker dies aged 98
-
Medicare Open Enrollment Ends Dec. 7: Review Your Coverage Options
-
Pennsylvania Democrats secure state trifecta in midterm elections
-
US Treasury order targets bank transfers linked to crypto exchange MEXC
-
Godzilla Minus Zero sets foreign-language box-office opening record
-
Nvidia CEO Controversy Sparks Fears of Tighter U.S. AI Chip Curbs for Samsung and SK hynix
-
Eagles record six sacks as rushing attack struggles against Giants
-
Villeneuve teases James Bond casting at Los Angeles museum gala
-
Thames Water seeks to delay £12bn in debt repayments
-
Nottinghamshire launches specialist rural crime policing team
-
Newark boxing gym expands alternative education programme
-
China confirms talks over possible Xi-Putin-Trump summit
-
Democrats consider impeachment drive against Defence Secretary Hegseth
-
Rail journey offers a slower route to a Berlin city break
-
Energy bill plan could use HMRC income data to target support
-
Arsenal control title race as Manchester United fall into bottom three
-
Business owner earning £6,000 a month tackles £70,000 debt
-
Suspected Krakow gunman dies after attack that killed six
-
Nvidia chief faces inquiry after disclosing affair with suspected Chinese agent
-
Carrick backs Dalot after hostile reception from Manchester United fans
-
Comet returns as online electrical marketplace 14 years after collapse
Second woman accuses French senator of drugging her
A French senator accused of drugging an MP with the intent to assault her is facing an accusation from another woman, according to French television.
The woman, who has not been named, accused Joel Guerriau of abusing her at his home in Paris in May 2022. The 67-year-old already faces charges over drugging centrist deputy Sandrine Josso's drink in November 2023, an accusation he has denied.
"I decided to bury it deep inside me," said the woman, speaking with her face covered and voice altered on France 2 late Thursday.
The woman said she felt "dizzy" before coming to her senses in the senator's bedroom, who she knew from political circles and with whom she had a legal dispute.
France 2 said the woman has contacted police but has not yet filed a complaint.
A lawyer for Guerriau told France 2 that the centre-right senator "strongly denies these new rumours", calling them "absurdities with the sole purpose of bringing Joel Guerriau to the public gallows."
France's Horizons party, led by former prime minister Edouard Philippe, suspended Guerriau in November 2023 after he was formally charged with drugging Josso as part of a plot to carry out a sexual assault.
Josso -- who is nearly two decades his junior -- said she felt ill after accepting a drink at the Paris home of the senator, with whom she was not in a relationship.
Tests revealed that Josso had ecstasy in her system, prompting her to file the criminal complaint.
Guerriau has denied any intention to sexually assault the lawmaker and has rejected the accusation that he deliberately drugged her, describing it as a "handling error".
He has so far ruled out resigning, calling it "totally unfair" to step down before the court's ruling.
The latest allegation against Guerriau comes months after the world was shocked by Frenchman Dominique Pelicot, who was jailed for 20 years for repeatedly drugging his wife so he and strangers could rape her.
The shocking case, involving scores of men, brought widespread attention to the issue of consent.
The French Senate passed a bill on Wednesday to include lack of consent in the country's criminal definition of rape, paving the way for its official adoption in the coming months.
Consent-based rape laws already exist in several European countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.
F.Bennett--AMWN
