A man was sentenced Thursday evening by the Paris Assize Court to eight years in prison for the rape of an illegal transgender prostitute in Bois de Boulogne in 2018. The 28-year-old man was convicted of "rape committed under the threat of a weapon ”, for which he incurred 20 years of imprisonment,“ theft ”and“ recidivism of recourse to prostitution ”.
As of the opening of the trial Tuesday, he admitted to having raped Cristina T., a Peruvian of 39 years, under the threat of a knife.
The court also pronounced a five-year socio-judicial follow-up sentence, with in particular the obligation to exercise a professional activity or to undergo training on his release from prison.
“I am very happy that Cristina had this sensitive listening during these three days of trial.
It was listened to by the French justice, ”reacted the lawyer of the civil party Julien Fournier.
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The prosecution had requested a nine-year prison sentence.
Cristina T. "lived a rape with violence, the knife on her face, with the fear of dying", summed up Advocate General Olivier Auferil during his requisitions.
If she had not before these facts "an enviable life", she has since "a broken life".
The facts took place one night in November 2018. “He approached, he asked me for the price.
I replied 50 euros, he told me it was too expensive.
[…] He asked me for a discount, I said no, ”she told the court on Wednesday, in tears.
The accused then held up his knife and forced her to perform unprotected oral sex and anal sex.
He also stole 150 euros from her.
"I had buried violence in me"
A rare thing for a prostitute in an irregular situation, Cristina filed a complaint.
The investigation was able to proceed quickly because it had memorized the license plate of the accused.
“Sex workers are easy prey, prime targets for sex offenders.
For some customers, prostitutes are a kind of commodity that you can dispose of as you wish, ”said the Advocate General.
The undocumented prostitutes “avoid contact with the police.
Sexual predators know it ”.
The magistrate however stressed that the accused, detained since November 2018, had started "psychological care", and displayed "an awareness" of the seriousness of his acts.
"He did not have an easy life", he noted, referring to his "trauma" after having fled, as a child, the civil war in Congo.
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"Can we imagine that when at 5 years old you were afraid for your life, that has no consequences for the future?
“, Asked the defense lawyer, Antoine Aussedat, during the pleadings.
He highlighted “the evolution” of the accused in detention, “his maturation that brings hope”.
He is followed by a psychologist once a week in detention.
"I had buried violence in me," he told the court.