like a good white knight, he is condemned in place of his friend

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“A white knight”. It is in these terms that the defense lawyer portrayed his client who appeared, on Wednesday October 9, 2024, before the judicial court d’Argentan (Orne). In September 2023, the defendant’s car hit a parked car in Messei while it was traveling in vitesse excessive having regard to the circumstances. He was intoxicated and his driving license was suspended. According to the latter, it was a friend who was driving.

He refuses to give the identity of his friend who was behind the wheel

The events happened on the night of September 30, 2023. The gendarmes intervened in a traffic accident on rue Jean-Moulin in Messei. When they arrived, they quickly established that a Ford Focus vehicle had hit a parked Fiat Brava.

The man next to the Ford recognizes that it is indeed his car. It wasn’t him who was driving, but a friend. He refuses to give his identity.

The owner of the Fiat, alerted by friends, quickly arrived on the scene. He claims there was no one else there other than this man, who was visibly drunk. He was staggering.

He was bothering the driver

Even today, at the helm of Argentan courthe explains that it was not him who was driving, but a friend who left the scene before the police arrived. That evening, they both went to friends’ houses. It’s true that they had drunk and he wanted to go home.

On the way back, he sang, bothered the driver and grabbed his armwhich caused him to swerve and hit the parked car. He refuses, even today, to give the name of this woman, justifying thatshe did him a favor and she doesn’t have to pay for it.

It was he who asked her to leave, because he was not not insured for another driveralthough he knew he was under the cover of a suspension of driving license.

Already convicted six times

“You don’t want to give us the name of this woman, so how do you expect us to check your declarations ? », calls out the president. “I don’t know, I don’t have an answer.”

Other questions from the president: “How do you explain the developments in your statements? How to believe yourself? “. Response from the defendant: “I made a official statement and I stand by my position.”

The president recalls that this man’s criminal record includes six convictions exclusively for drug-related offences.

It is not forbidden to lie to a court in France, but the judges are not fooled. It’s not respectful to take us for idiots.

The lawyer pleads for release

The latter considers that the driver don’t tell the truth and, in view of his criminal record, he requires a sentence of four months in prison, suspended, but also to carry out, at their own expense, a road safety awareness course within six months or two months in prison in the event of non-compliance, in addition to a fine of €135.

If there is doubt, it must benefit the accused and the burden of proof lies with the public prosecutor.

“White Knight or not, nothing obliges her to give the name of her friend.” He pleads for release.

The court will finally follow the requisitionsof the public prosecutor reducing the fine to €90.

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