Justice. “I never wanted to be violent, I just wanted to explain myself to her”

“I regret what happened. I never wanted to be violent. I just wanted to explain myself to her.” Walter*, by videoconference from prison where he is serving an 18-month sentence, already for violence against his partner Marina, tries to explain the events of August 17, in Tarbes.

They have been together for a year, but Marina, “a week ago, escaped from your home in Pau, to return home to Tarbes”. President Lucille Pichenot adds that Marina broke the chip in her phone to no longer be in contact with Walter. The latter nevertheless manages to harass her with messages. That day, he arrived on a scooter at Place Marcadieu and began to insult Marina: “You thought I wasn’t going to find your mother there… There’s no point in running.” Marina takes refuge inside a pharmacy. Walter follows her, grabs her arm violently and forces her out. When the police arrive, Walter dumps his opinel in Marina’s bra. The latter hands the knife to the police. “I had it with me because I use it to open the manhole covers at the swimming pool where I work” explains Walter. President Pichenot points out to him that it is forbidden to carry a weapon and that he was not working that day. Walter agrees that he didn’t accept the separation. “I wanted to talk to him, give him the keys to his apartment.”

“I have no physical or psychological after-effects”

On the stand, Marina explains that Walter “does not know how to control himself. I hope that his incarceration and his psychological follow-up will help him. If it takes what it takes, he is capable of getting out of this violence.” Also, Marina then believes that she will have a correct relationship with him. She adds that they are both alone in Tarbes. Lucile Pichenot notes that Marina behaves “as if you were Walter’s lawyer when you are the victim… How are you?” Marina replies that she is fine; “I have no physical or psychological after-effects. I work, I take care of my children.” Walter multiplies his regrets and mentions his wish to propose to Marina. “For that, we will have to lift the ban on contact with her,” replied President Pichenot.

For her part, Bérengère Prudhomme, public prosecutor, recalls that “the acts of violence are clear”, relying on the images from the pharmacy camera. “We don’t get explanations through violence.” She recalls that Walter is a repeat offender and carried a knife with him. “What will happen next time?”, worries the prosecutor.

M^e Fraga, Walter’s counsel, invites the court to take into account only the facts of August 18 – a simple arm-twisting – and not his client’s record, nor the conviction of last October.

Walter has the last word. He speaks of his love for her, that she is everything to him.

The court sentenced Walter to 4 months in prison with the impossibility of adjusting the sentence as he is already in custody. He is prohibited from having contact with the victim for 1 year and from carrying a weapon for 5 years.