gang bang proposal and wandering hands, a mayor of Landes in court

Tried for harassment and sexual assault, the trial of Patrick Vilhem, mayor of Pouillon in Landes, takes place on November 7 before the Dax Court. A decisive step for this town of 5,700 inhabitants which has been torn apart for more than three years over this conflict.

This affair has haunted the streets of Pouillon and especially the corridors of the town hall for more than three years. Patrick Vilhem, the mayor of the Landes commune of 5,700 inhabitants, is accused of sexual assault and harassment, particularly against his municipal agents. He still retains his position.

The facts investigated extend from October 2015 to October 2021. It all starts with the filing of a complaint by an administrator for acts of sexual assault dating from September 2021. While she came for a meeting at the town hall, “the mayor corners her behind the coffee machine”says Frédéric Lonné, lawyer for five civil parties who evokes a “global and daily climate of terror”.

This complaint gives rise to an investigation into the environment of the accused, which will end up raising dust under the carpet of the town hall. “And there, surprise, this whole environment lets go”, continues Maître Lonné. Municipal agents who have until now been in a reserve linked to their duties and faced with the difficulty of speaking about acts of harassment, tell investigators of daily abuse.

Wandering hands and “gang bang” proposal

Last spring, before the trial was postponed until November 7, the judge had the opportunity to read some criminal behavior recorded in the procedure, such as the mayor's wandering hands landing on “breasts and buttocks” of a victim and many comments with sexual connotations, including a proposal to “gang bang”.

Maître Lonné, for his part, evokes “invitations to meet at the Salies-de-Bearn casino”or even the fact that he “requires you to kiss”. Among her clients, one is called “my little pig”another one “my little pink candy”.
“For him, it’s Audiard, it’s not knowing Audiard very well” continues the lawyer who insists on the fact that the councilor defends himself by evoking clumsy and ribald paternalism without consequence.

But this investigation mainly into sexual harassment also raises a much more general deleterious climate within the town hall.

The lawyer for the civil parties mentions “a leaden screed laid by a form of terror“. It is this climate which led the victims to only speak out from September 2021, while according to Me Lonné, ““It could have been since he was in office.” Furthermore, 16 victims were clearly identified during the preliminary investigation and leading to the charges against Patrick Vilhem. However, only nine of them have become civil parties, and there could only be five on the civil parties bench this November 7. “They don’t want to be one of the people who complain.” believes the lawyer.

We are dealing with terrified people.

Frédéric Lanné

Lawyer for the civil party

Among those who did not wish to go further, an assistant, who had nevertheless testified to investigators indicating that Patrick Vilhem is “intelligent, but somewhat misogynistic”. She had also insisted that he regularly make comments about her generous breasts, although she had asked him to stop.

At the height of this affair, an agent, among the five victims defended by Maitre Lonné, was dismissed 15 days ago, during the last Municipal Council, after having requested her transfer. This revocation follows a disciplinary procedure initiated shortly after his request, “additional harassment” for his advice, which even speaks of “settling of accounts”.

According to Maître Frédéric Lonné, the investigators focused on acts of sexual harassment. However, among other things “abuse of authority”he emphasizes degrading, humiliating remarks, “which concern all agents” .

In December 2022, almost all of the municipality's municipal agents decided to lead a revolt against what they consider to be daily harassing behavior. They thus wrote an open letter warning about their “professional burnout with significant risks of burnout or even suicide”and denounce “authoritarianism” of the mayor. Of the 48 employees, 41 signed it before invoking their right of withdrawal and only returning to work one month later.

This month-long collective action, in the name of the right of withdrawal, has always been considered as a strike by the town hall and in fact this period was not paid. This is why the employees initiated proceedings before the Administrative Court in order to assert this endangerment which leads to the right of withdrawal.

This heavy-handed action by municipal agents and the fact that they do not carry out their tasks, including daycare and the municipal canteen, has raised the awareness of many citizens. This is how the Pouillonnais Agents Support Association was set up, whose action continues on social networks.

Régis Rameaux, president of the support group, set up this committee as a representative of parents. “I don't find it normal that we don't continue to support the agents.” he insists. “It’s very politicized Pouillon, the elected officials protected themselves”he notes with bitterness, before nonetheless observing that “five of them resigned.” However, insufficient to form a new council and turn the tide.

He describes, still today, a Wild West town atmosphere in the streets of Pouillon, minus the glamorous side of Hollywood. Both camps are sticking to their positions. “We feel that there are people who confuse everything, he says, It’s a very small microcosm.”

We hear what a fake ass, he said hello to me. These are also childhood friendships destroyed.

Régis Rameaux,

President of the Pouillonnais Agents Support Association

A climate all the more deleterious because the mayor, placed under judicial control, no longer has the right to exercise his functions in the town hall, but continues to work from the wedding hall, which is adjacent to the town hall..“He parks his car in the same parking lot as that of the people he avoids meetingnotes Master Frédéric Lonné, it's playing with fire and pressure“.

Patrick Vilhem, placed under judicial supervision, faces up to five years' imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros, as well as an additional penalty of ineligibility.

The latter is the great unknown of the trial for the lawyer of the civil parties. “Assuming that he be condemned and that ineligibility be pronounced”continues the lawyer, the question is whether it is automatically enforceable. Because he states, “if there is an appeal without provisional execution, the mayor will return to the walls.”

I fear that the circus in Pouillon will last a little longer.

Mr. Frédéric Lonné

Lawyer for civil parties

For Régis Rameaux and the support committee, who will be present throughout the day of the hearing with the victims, “it will already do good to the victims” who according to him feel guilty “to have spoken and to have seen people speaking.” It is also, for him, a first step in the judicial recognition of harassment, which could help all agents before the Administrative Tribunal.

Before concluding: “It's a long job. It's a drop, but it's what will perhaps allow them to lift their heads and walk around Pouillon.”

Contacted, Patrick Vilhem, Mayor of Pouillon, does not wish to speak, “as he didn't want it for three years”before justice does its job.