On December 25, two attacks on prison officers shook the Draguignan remand center in quick succession, provoking a reaction from the prison CGT, criticizing the lack of security in a press release. A few hours before a guard received a punch from an unruly inmate, causing a broken nose – the trial of the alleged perpetrator will take place next week – one of his colleagues had already suffered the same mishap.
The incident occurred at lunch time. The 24-year-old detainee, sentenced in 2017 to six years of detention for armed robbery in the Nîmes region (Gard), did not wish to receive meat and had asked for fish while leaving the door frame from his cell, which the regulations prohibit. Pushed back inside his jail, he made insulting remarks and punched the guard in the face.
“My word has no value”
During the search during his placement in solitary confinement, a cell phone was found in his “buttocks fold”. Only this concealment was recognized by Samir M. during his immediate appearance this Friday before the Draguignan criminal court. “As for the rest, I did nothing. I have a heavy past and I know that my word has no value compared to that of the agents. But I did nothing. It was he who hit.”
Me Samir Hamoun, regretting the lack of exploitation of the video surveillance cameras, was not able to prevent an eleventh mention in his client's criminal record. The court, recognizing that the investigation was “not perfect”, sentenced Samir M. to nine months of additional detention.
The young man, already transferred nine times since the start of his detention because of his behavior, should not remain in the Draguignan remand center according to information from prosecutor Guy Bouchet. “His transfer as a measure of order and security appears justified,” he believes.
