A 30-year-old Syrian is suspected of two rapes, committed in the middle of the street in Reims (Marne) on February 20 and July 2, learned
Le Figaro
from the Reims prosecutor's office, confirming information from
L'Union
.
Confused by a DNA trace, the suspect - without a known home and in an irregular situation - was arrested on July 24.
Read alsoMontbéliard: suspected of rape of minors, a man imprisoned
The facts with which he is charged are in all respects similar.
The two victims - two young women - were returning home after a party.
They say they were approached by this individual, whom they did not know, who forced oral sex on them.
A correctional file
In French law, rape is a crime and is in principle dealt with by an assize court.
The case in question has nevertheless been corrected – that is to say that it now comes under a criminal court –, in agreement with the two victims.
The objective, as specified by the Reims prosecutor's office in
Le Figaro
, is to go faster - for so-called "simple" cases - and to avoid the opening of compulsory judicial information for crimes and often long.
The suspect went to an immediate appearance on Thursday July 28 at the Reims Criminal Court.
He asked for time to prepare his defense and the case was sent back to August 23, details
L'Union
.
The court decided to keep him in detention until then because of a risk of repetition of the facts.
As our colleagues point out, his addiction to alcohol is mentioned in the investigators' file and he does not speak or write the French language.
The suspect faces five years in prison.
