The general prosecutor's office has appealed against the conviction in the case of serial rapes in the Sénart forest, for which Aïssa Zerouati was sentenced in early October to 20 years in prison, AFP learned on Friday (October 23) from the prosecutor's office in Essonne.
Read also: Rape in the Sénart forest: Aïssa Zerouati sentenced to twenty years of criminal imprisonment
The court wants a new trial so that the entire file can be retried, including the two acts of rape for which Aïssa Zerouati was acquitted, the public prosecutor explained.
The “
rapist of the Sénart forest
”, as the press nicknamed him, sowed fear between 1995 and 2000 by violently assaulting joggers and walkers.
"
I am innocent
"
Now 45 years old, this father was found guilty on October 8 by the Assize Court of Essonne of having committed 32 rapes, attempted rapes and aggravated sexual assaults on the paths of this forest located 25 km south-east of Paris.
Wearing a full face motorcycle helmet with a smoked visor that he never took off during the attacks, the man was finally confused by DNA traces (blood and semen) found on half of the victims.
"
I am innocent,
" the former bus driver repeated throughout the four weeks of his recent trial.
He also appealed against his conviction, said the prosecution, in accordance with what he had announced when he learned of the verdict.
