Mathias Vicherat and his ex-partner Anissa Bonnefont convicted of domestic violence

JUSTICE – The trial brought to light a “toxic relationship”a story of « vampirisation » and« obsession ». Former director of Sciences Po Paris Mathias Vicherat received a five-month suspended prison sentence by the Paris Criminal Court for domestic violence this Friday, November 29. His former partner Anissa Bonnefont, also tried for domestic violence against him, was sentenced to eight months in prison, according to information from Radio France and the Figaro.

During the trial at the end of October, six months suspended prison sentence was requested against each, with the ex-spouses prohibited from making contact for three years. Mathias Vicherat was on trial for two acts of willful violence against his ex-partner. Anissa Bonnefont was prosecuted for willful violence during the year 2023.

According to franceinfo which relays information from France Inter, no awareness training has been ordered by the court. Mathias Vicherat has already announced that he will appeal this decision, he who had pleaded for acquittal.

“Almost daily” arguments, sometimes “up to twelve hours”

For long hours, the two defendants had detailed in turn a couple's daily life punctuated by arguments “almost daily” which could last “until twelve o’clock”an abortion which left them “much damaged”the supposed deceptions of Mathias Vicherat “with a married woman”stays in a psychiatric unit and accusations of rape, dismissed.

Mathias Vicherat was accused of having strangled his partner during yet another argument in July 2023. A few months later, on September 30, this time he broke her wrist while trying to grab the phone she was holding, imposing a 50-day ITT on him.

Anissa Bonnefont was accused of slaps, kicks but also punches which would have led to a 30-day psychological ITT for Mathias Vicherat.

Text messages read at the hearing

At the bar, the 46-year-old enarque maintained his version of the facts, contesting “formally all accusations of violence” of which he was the subject. He claimed to have become aware “very early” to be locked up “in a toxic relationship”and that the only times he intervened, “it was to calm her down”.

Anissa Bonnefont admitted to several slaps, but denied having punched and kicked her. “I pushed him away, certainly with my hands”she mentioned. She also admitted to having been at the origin of the first violence. Within this relationship, the 40-year-old woman described a “feeling of vampirization”a lack of esteem on the part of her former spouse who “devalued”.

During the hearing, the court read several text messages from their exchanges. “Your wrist was an accident (…) If you're going to file a complaint, you're going to screw me up (…) I love you Anissa, badly, but I love you”wrote to him, among others, Mathias Vischerat. “I’m sorry for the blows I gave you”wrote Anissa Bonnefont.

The affair came to light on December 3, 2023. After yet another scene of argument between Mathias Vicherat and Anissa Bonnefont, the latter went to the police station in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, followed closely by her partner. Both were then placed in police custody. None ultimately filed a complaint, but the courts took up the matter.

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