The Ardèche criminal court was clearly sensitive to the defense arguments. She therefore sentenced this 46-year-old mason to four years in prison who had been appearing before the court since Thursday morning for, among other things, lighting thirteen roadside fires on the morning of July 27, 2022 between Saint-Etienne-de-Boulogne and Lussas via Saint-Julien-du-Serre. The fires lit on the Côte de l’Echelette between Saint-Privat and Lussas had finally joined together. In a context of great drought and northerly winds, the fire had spread through the scrubland to Vogüé. 600 firefighters were mobilized. 350 campers had been evacuated.
A reintegrated man who admitted the facts
Damien’s defense insists on the exemplary nature of his conduct since the events. He no longer drinks, he immediately admitted the facts at the start of his trial. “Recognition is the first line of defense against recidivism” explains Maître Violaine Vert, one of the two lawyers for the accused. “As soon as he leaves detention, he has his first appointment with the psychologist even though he is not obliged to do so. This is reassuring for your jurisdiction“continues Master Green. “He found work straight away. After 5 months of fixed-term contract, his boss wants to hire him even though he knows he was appearing before the criminal court. That still means something.”
It is true that during these two days of trial, Damien kept a low profile. “I acknowledge all the facts that I am accused of even if I no longer remember everything.“. “Who doesn’t know how traumatic memory works? ” explains Master Guillaume Fort. His truth is that he no longer remembers everything. What more do you want us to tell you? “ And Master Fort insists on his client’s flaws: his inability to become a baker because of a very serious motorcycle accident at the age of 16. His romantic disappointments with his first three companions: “With one of them he was forced to sleep on the floor while the dog slept in the bed.“. Master Fort continues: “We are not all equal. Some would have gotten away with it, but not him. “It should be remembered that this gigantic fire for the Ardèche did not cause any serious injuries or material damage thanks to the firefighters.
“We remain at the end” says the prosecution
Just beforehand, the Advocate General returned to the court’s questions. “We remain hungry” she says. “We have no explanation. Yes, there was massive alcoholism. OK. But we can’t say that that’s why he committed the act. It seems a little short. He put the fire on one of his sites There was a reason, he was in dispute with the owner. There is an explanation. But when on July 27, he set fire to the vegetation, what was the reason? what’s at stake here is worth it” continues the general advocate. “But it’s also the motivation. To judge, you have to understand and I don’t understand.” she concludes.
