Paris: A court in Paris has found French actor Gerard Depardieu guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021 and handed him an 18-month suspended prison sentence.
In one of the highest-profile #MeToo cases to come before judges in France, Depardieu had repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Actor Gerard Depardieu leaves to the courtroom for a break.Credit: AP
But judge Thierry Donard said Depardieu’s explanation of events had been unconvincing.
One of the two plaintiffs, Amelie K, a set decorator, had told the court the actor had groped her all over her body as he trapped her between his legs and made explicit sexual comments.
“He touched everything, including my breasts,” she told the court. “I was terrified, he was laughing.”
The presiding judge said two witnesses corroborated her account, while Depardieu had been contradictory in his accounts.
The #MeToo protest movement over sexual violence has struggled to gain the same traction in France as in the United States, though there are signs that social attitudes towards sexual assault may be changing.
More to come
If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.
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