SNCF was acquitted on Wednesday of manslaughter but civilly ordered to pay damages after the death in 2010 of three people in a collision with a TER at a level crossing near Maubeuge (North), according to concordant sources .
Read also: Teenage girl killed by a train: SNCF sentenced on appeal in Rouen to a fine of 100,000 euros
On December 20, 2010 at around 6:30 a.m., three young people aged 22, 23 and 24, returning from a nightclub, died after their car got stuck under the power train of a train connecting Jeumont to Lille at the level crossing of Recquignies.
"
The expertises did not make it possible to establish whether there had been a malfunction, and which
", reported Thursday to AFP the prosecutor of the Republic of Avesnes-sur-Helpe, Cécile Gressier, who had requested relax it.
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Three experts made hypotheses, which have remained hypotheses
".
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It's a relief, because our arguments were finally heard, after a one-way investigation,
" SNCF lawyer, Me Julien Dreyfus, responded to AFP after this decision reported by the press. local.
“
No two experts are saying the same thing.
Unfortunately, you have to accept that you don't know
”what happened that day.
SNCF has nevertheless been found to be civilly liable for the damage suffered and will have to pay between 8,500 euros and 25,000 euros to each of the civil parties for the loss of affection, according to the prosecution, or approximately 270,000 euros in total.
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It is a (criminal) release without surprise, since the prosecution had requested it
", commented to AFP Me Bruno Pietrzak, counsel for 16 beneficiaries of victims.
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Even though the file has revealed doubts, there has never been evidence that something has gone wrong
."
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Level crossings in France are not, with some exceptions, equipped with cameras or black boxes.
It is not normal, when we see what a camera costs, that we do not oblige the SNCF (to install it),
”he added.
According to him, we will never know if the barrier was raised or lowered, even if "
witnesses say that it was raised
".
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The decision means that the deaths are the result of a fault on the part of the SNCF
", according to Me Emmanuel Riglaire, also a lawyer for civil parties.
“
However, this fault is not sufficient to become criminal.
In the penal, the fault must be characterized, which it is impossible to do here in spite of numerous expertises
”.
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