The Gironde Assize Court has ruled. The five ex-Grenoble players were convicted of gang rape and failure to assist a person in danger. The sentences range up to 14 years in prison.
The verdict is in. At 8:25 p.m., the doors of the courtroom of the Gironde Assize Court opened and the sentences were announced against the ex-Grenoblois players.
14 years in prison for Denis Coulson, 14 years for Loïck Jammes, 12 years for Rory Grice, 4 years for Chris Farrell (including 2 suspended) and 2 years suspended for Dylan Hayes. The civil party also requested 50,000 euros in compensation. Thus ended these two weeks of debatevery intense hearings of which we were only able to perceive fragments because of the closed session requested by the victim, a 20-year-old student at the time of the events. Three of the five former FCG players were therefore convinced of having committed gang rape. The other two were convicted of failure to assist a person in danger. Their lawyers pleaded for acquittal, but that did not convince the jurors. The players sentenced to prison time headed to prison following the verdict.
The complainant attended the proceedings
The distress and violence suffered by the young girl on the night of March 11 to 12, 2017 was recognized by the courts. She was brought to a hotel room in Mérignac by Denis Coulson, before having sex with Loick Jammes and Rory Grice under the gaze of Chris Farrell and Dylan Hayes.
During these ten days, the hearings were intense, the debates lively. Everything actually revolved around the notion of consent. Was the victim aware of what was happening? Was she able to consent to what happened to her? The fact that one of the accused had used objects had obviously given a rather sordid turn to this affair. A 55-second video of the antics filmed by another accused finished characterizing this festive post-match evening which completely degenerated. The young girl attended almost all of the debates a few meters from those who are officially considered her attackers, subject to appeal.
The convictions:
Denis Coulson : 14 years in prison for gang rape
Loïck Jammes: 14 years in prison for gang rape
Rory Grice : 12 years in prison for gang rape
Chris Farrell : 4 in prison, including 2 suspended, for failure to assist a person in danger. His sentence can be adjusted at home.
Dylan Hayes : 2 years suspended prison sentence for failure to assist a person in danger.
The civil party also requested 50,000 euros in compensation
