In Dordogne, a 58-year-old man acquitted in a case of domestic violence

On Monday, she was in a lawyer's office filing for divorce. Five days later, this Friday, May 2, she found herself in court with the same lawyer, as a civil party. Her husband was being tried for domestic violence, suspected of punching and scratching her, resulting in five days of temporary incapacity for work. A suspicion that the court found difficult to confirm. After a three-hour hearing, the court acquitted the 58-year-old man, despite the 18 months of imprisonment, including nine months of suspended probation, requested by the public prosecutor.

According to the defendant, the victim "self-harmed." According to the prosecutor, he had already made this argument to the court when he was convicted of similar offenses against his wife in 2021.

Who is right? Who is wrong?

This time, he adds that the 45-year-old victim was doing everything "to get back the shared home," owned by her husband. A shelter for victims of domestic violence had been offered to her by the police, but she refused "because I have a lot of things." Of Greek origin, she has no family in France and wanted to "regain her freedom" by divorcing, after years of marriage to this man "whom I loved."

"Having gone through all this history of violence against women," through his previous conviction, for which he was prohibited from having contact with his wife, the man, a shopkeeper in Brantôme, defended himself by asserting that it "made no sense." He spoke of the day before the incident and the day afterward, without ever actually discussing the facts. Yet, verbal threats were made during the last four years of their relationship. He is described as "manipulative" by her, and she is described as "manipulative" by him. "Everything in this case suggests that control is present," declared the prosecutor. A "totally fanciful story" for the defense lawyer, who won her hearing.