Orléans Court of Appeal
Bernard H., a 59-year-old citizen, insulted the mayor of Marcé-sur-Esves (Indre-et-Loire), Gérard Dubois, by calling him a « con » several times in 2021. A deputy witnessed the altercation. He also damaged the chief magistrate’s vehicle.
Heard on June 9, 2021, the fifty-year-old adds that “ the mayor has nothing in his head” but denies having treated him as « con ». Three mentions punctuate his criminal record, including a conviction handed down in a case of hidden work.
The Tours criminal court sentenced him to 4 months in prison and €500 in moral damages in 2021. He is appealing the judgment but is conspicuous by his absence at the hearing on October 8, 2024.
Badgers in front of the mayor's home
The mayor, Gérard Dubois, present at the hearing, speaks of an individual “ complicated ” and aggressive, who, in the past, had left badgers in front of his home and scratched a deputy's vehicle. A story of jealousy is mentioned.
Isabelle Pagenelle, attorney general, emphasizes that this is an insult to a person holding public authority, that the facts are constituted and recognized and that his responsibility is held. She requires six months suspended sentence.
The court confirmed the first four-month suspended sentence but imposed a ban on contact with the mayor for a period of three years. In the event of non-compliance, Bernard H. will be incarcerated for three months.
