He had given a cold sweat to the gendarmes of Saint-Savin, those of the PSIG then the PSPG, even triggering the arrival of a negotiator, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday December 19, 2024, on the edge of the D951, in Saint -Germain. This 61-year-old man was tried on Friday December 20, 2024, in immediate appearance before the Poitiers Criminal Court.
A Beretta caliber 12: the shot went off on its own
Prosecuted for death threats, violence with a weapon (a Beretta 12 caliber hunting rifle) and violence against his partner, he was at great risk with two previous convictions in 2017 (violence in a meeting) and 2018 (violence against a spouse). This last conviction placed him as a recidivist. Above all, it recalled a similar deployment of forces. In the Lusignan farm where he was holed up, heavily intoxicated and armed, in January 2018, the GIGN was also on its way to make him see reason.
“I wanted to shoot myself in the head”
“I have depressive problems. I started drinking at 5 p.m. My daughter had just told me that she was getting married without inviting me, that shocked me… he tells the president of the court, swallowing a sob. I wanted to accompany him to the town hall. I was completely elsewhere. I wanted to shoot myself in the head. » Suddenly, he mimes gripping the hunting rifle, opening the slide, the cartridge case in the shirt. “And I must have had my finger on the trigger because the shot went off. »
At that moment, his partner was on the phone with the Samu emergency workers. They heard the explosion and advised the woman to get out of the house. A few minutes before, fogged in the vapors of two bottles of whiskey, he had grabbed her by the clothes. “The shooting was accidental. I wanted to die, not kill my darling, I didn't want to hurt her. »
Ban on appearing at his partner's home
This hunting rifle was a bit like back to the future: it was supposed to be part of the stock already confiscated in 2018 but the hunter had lied to the police. “He behaved irresponsibly.the Poitiers public prosecutor is indignant. The gunshot was fired at face level. Luckily, his partner was behind him at that moment. » A sentence of 18 months in prison, including 12 with enhanced probationary suspension, was requested.
Élise Farine, lawyer for the defendant, requested release for the death threats and violence with weapons and offered rehousing with her sister, in Charente. The judges recognized the absence of intentional elements in the shooting. The sixty-year-old was acquitted for the violence with weapons and death threats.
On the other hand, he was found guilty of spousal violence and sentenced to one year in prison, including 8 months suspended for two years. He will have to treat his alcoholic and psychological problems. He is prohibited from appearing at his partner's home. The firm sentence will be carried out in the form of home detention under electronic surveillance at his sister's house… in Charente.
