“I have always had one foot in good and one foot in evil”, Ludovic Bertin explains his “parallel lives”

Ludovic Bertin was heard by the Isère Assize Court, this Wednesday, November 27, on the duality of his journey, between his family life and his addictions. The accused appears until December 6 for the murder of Victorine Dartois preceded by an attempted rape.

Questioned at length on Wednesday November 27, Ludovic Bertin explained his “parallel lives”. On one side, that of a husband, father of a family, business manager and on the other, that of a party animal addicted to cocaine, with a series of conquests.

“There are these two lives that do not intersect”summarized the president of the Isère Assize Court, questioning the accused, tried for the aggravated murder of Victorine Dartois and the rape of another young woman. “Who are you, Mr. Bertin?”she asked him in advance, letting him unfold the thread of his life.

“All my life, I wanted to have a family life. But on the side, I was the Ludovic who went out in the evening, who was unfaithful. I got my license but I drive without a license. I always wanted to do good things but on the other hand, I do a bit of anything I always had one foot in good and one foot in evil.summarizes Ludovic Bertin, standing, hands placed on the edge of the box.

Des transgressions which take root, according to him, in a childhood “not easy” passed to Bonnefamillea small village in Isère, alongside his mother and six brothers and sisters. “I never really liked school, especially in this village. I always felt a little apart. I was the only student of color. I never felt well integrated”he says.

Ludovic Bertin grew up in a modest family with a mother who took care of her siblings alone, and a father who died when he was 9 years old. “My mother was working, so she didn't have much time to take care of us at the time. We often ate the same thing. Buying clothes for everyone wasn't necessarily possible, so I I put those of my big brothers”continues Ludovic Bertin, also recounting the conflictual climate that reigned at home.

I was kicked out, I often slept outside, I spent winters outside.

Ludovic Bertin

Accused of the murder of Victorine Dartois

He said to himself “at war” with his mother during his adolescence. Failing academically, he was expelled from his college and abandoned two CAPs that he had started. Ludovic Bertin found a job at 18, motivated by the idea of ​​earning the money that “lack” when he was younger. He immediately left the family home to settle in with his ex-wife, whom he had met four years previously.

“I couldn't stay there any longer. I was punished 24 hours a day, I was beaten”describes the accused. “I was kicked out, I often slept outside, I spent winters outside. At 16, I bought a car to sleep in. A Clio that I had paid 150 euros on Leboncoin . It was starting, there was heating.”

Just an adult, Ludovic Bertin had already been convicted four times for theft, receiving stolen property, driving without a license and without insurance. And the convictions kept coming. “I worked, tried to lead a family life. It’s true that I didn’t necessarily have good friends, I didn’t necessarily make the right choices”he admits.

The couple's life is punctuated by violence from the very beginning. “We are two tornadoes”image of the accused. “I broke everything when I argued with her. Our arguments were really violent. But it wasn't every day, it was exceptional. Over time, we learned to live together.”

But his addiction to cocaine strengthens. An element that all those close to him seemed to ignore. “It never stopped. It grew to a crescendohe explains. It didn't necessarily work for me. At first it was cool. But when it starts to have an impact on personal and professional life, it becomes unmanageable.”

Very quickly, his ex-wife's family broke off all contact with the couple, not approving of their relationship. “He is a trickster, clever, vicious. There is something dark, diabolical in him”had assured the gendarmes the ex-mother-in-law of the accused who did not appear to testify at the hearing for medical reasons.

Having become the father of a little boy in 2019, Ludovic Bertin continues to lead a double life. “Even though I was married, I liked to please, I went out a lot. I happened to have extramarital affairs. They were one-night stands, there were no serious relationships”he assures.

During the investigation, some 350 pornographic files were discovered on his phone and computer, as well as hundreds of violent videos and images of weapons. The accused denied all “addiction” to pornography. Incarcerated for almost four years, he claims to have started psychological follow-up to try to “to understand” which landed him in detention.

“I understand because I did something stupid… It’s not even stupid, I don’t know how to describe it. It took me to prison, it’s supposed to be my punishment, I understand that”he says, searching for words, his gaze fixed on the courtyard, while the family of Victorine Dartois does not take their eyes off him.

We can at least give him the credit of having wanted to look himself in the face, of having sought and found the beginnings of an explanation for his behavior.

Me Arnaud Adélise

Lawyer of Ludovic Bertin

“Detention does him good. He started work several years ago. This work is continuous, will not stop. We can at least give him credit for wanting to look himself in the face, for seeking and found the beginnings of an explanation for his behavior”underlines his lawyer, Me Arnaud Adélise.

Ludovic Bertin appears until December 6 before the Isère Assize Court for the murder of Victorine Dartois, an 18-year-old student, preceded by an attempted rape. Although he admitted killing the young girl, the accused always denied the sexual motive. He is also on trial for the rape of another young girl, “Vicky”, committed in 2018. This will be heard by the court on Thursday, just like Ludovic Bertin who has always spoken of a “consensual relationship”.