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On the eve of his trial at the Bordeaux Criminal Court, his lawyer describes "
an anxious man
".
Friday, Patrick Duart, still deputy mayor of Talence three days ago, appears in court for sexual assault.
Two women, who have joined as civil parties, accuse him of gestures and inappropriate words which would have taken place in November 2019 for one and on May 28, 2020 for the other.
Both carers, they rubbed shoulders with the chosen one on a daily basis to take care of his seriously ill wife at home.
(Madame Duart died in January 2021, Ed.)
According to information collected by
Le Figaro
, the hearing which will take place on Friday follows a complaint filed by one of them.
Aged about forty, the complainant had then been caring for the wife of the man she accused for five years.
"
Over time, the relationship (between the victim and Patrick Duart, editor's note) was able to go further than those which unite a patient to a caregiver
", specifies the defense lawyer, Julien Plouton.
“
He wiped the tears from her eyes
”
An “
affection
” which had led the chosen one to help her with the care she was providing.
Until the day when both of them leaned over the patient, he touched her in the chest, pushing her away after she had precisely "taken him
away from her with a cushion
", because she found him "
too near
”.
A gesture recognized by Patrick Duart.
Presumed innocent until his judgment, he refutes on the other hand the sexual nature of all the allegations which are brought against him.
Aged 25, the second victim named in the file had asked his management to no longer work at home six months before the complaint was filed.
She then mentioned “
annoyance
” in the presence of Patrick Duart.
Later, during her statement, she explained to the investigators that she developed this feeling after he “
wiped the tears from her eyes with paper towel
” while she was chopping onions.
To their question: was he erect at that time?
She replies: “
Yes
”.
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"
We are dealing here with a man who touched a woman in the chest
" and "
who was looking for a reassuring presence with the nursing staff in a difficult period
", declared Me Julien Plouton on the eve of his client's hearing.
He denounces “
a file assembled from scratch
”, investigations “
in charge and directed
” and “
victims who clearly exchanged between them
” before being heard.
The town hall of Talence dissociates itself from the case
Contacted by
Le Figaro
, the mayor of Talence, Emmanuel Sallaberry, is formal: “
I made a decision which is heavy, I assume it, he is no longer deputy mayor of Talence.
Warned of "
this private matter
" on January 12, the politician immediately summoned the member of his majority.
An interview during which the defendant "
shaken
" again denied the facts of which he is accused.
At its end, "
by mutual agreement
" with the city councilor, Patrick Duart was dismissed from his delegation for Education, extracurricular activities, leisure centers and childcare, as well as maintenance of municipal buildings.
A decision taken so that "
justice is done calmly
", insists Emmanuel Sallaberry.
Formalized by municipal decree on January 16, the decision was quickly followed by effects.
The municipality's website, for example, is already up to date.
In office at the City since 2006, Patrick Duart retained his seat on the municipal council within the majority "
without delegation or compensation
".
