The courts accused him of embezzlement of public funds. On Tuesday, the Lille Criminal Court sentenced the president (DVD) of the Lille metropolitan area, Damien Castelain, to one year in prison, suspended, and five years of ineligibility, although he was acquitted of some of the charges.
The 56-year-old elected official, president of the Mel since 2014, was also sentenced to a fine of 20,000 euros. However, he escapes the provisional execution of the sentence of ineligibility, requested by the public prosecutor, and synonymous with application even in the event of an appeal.
Relaxed about clothing expenses
Damien Castelain will therefore not be required to resign and will be able to finish his term if he appeals the decision. The elected official was absent during the deliberations and this decision on a possible appeal was not immediately known.
The court noted his lack of precedent and the “old nature of the facts”, but noted “their seriousness” on the part of a person “invested with an elective mandate”. In the case of the disputed expense reports, it found Damien Castelain guilty of misappropriation of public funds for having been paid by the community for a restaurant meal and three spa sessions.
He did, however, acquit him on clothing expenses, considering it “not established” that certain items of clothing had been purchased “outside the scope of entertainment expenses”, as well as for other expenses covered by his office’s management, due to the lack of a precise inventory.
Stones intended for a terrace of his house
Damien Castelain was also acquitted of suspicions of using a vehicle for personal purposes and of favouritism and illegal interest in the conditions of employment as press advisor for his neighbours’ daughter.
However, he was found guilty of misappropriation of public funds and illegal taking of interests for having his legal fees paid by Mel and for receiving stolen goods in the “blue stones” affair.
In this case, he was tried for having benefited from 17,000 euros worth of stones intended for a terrace of his house, on the sidelines of the construction of the Grand Stade by Eiffage. For their part, the former press advisor and the former general director of services of the Mel were acquitted.
Anti-corruption activist ‘disgusted’
Anti-corruption activist Eric Darques, a civil party, said he was “disgusted” by this half-hearted decision after almost 15 years of proceedings, but welcomed the conviction for embezzlement of public funds. In her lengthy submissions, the prosecutor had denounced the “venality” with which Damien Castelain had “sought to obtain undue advantages”, to the detriment of taxpayers.
Mayor of a small town, the elected official had been propelled to the presidency of the Mel, after an agreement with the socialist Martine Aubry, outgoing president, who had thus prevented the UMP (now LR) from taking over the community.
