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A man who claimed he could not be deported to Morocco because of his atheism has been convicted of sexual assault in France after groping a woman at a popular lake.
The defendant appeared in the dock at the Libourne Criminal Court on Monday, July 7, facing charges over an incident at Lac des Dagueys. The assault occurred last July, when a mother felt a man grope her buttocks while in the water.
She initially dismissed it as accidental due to poor visibility, but quickly became suspicious when the man nearby started harassing her, striking up a conversation.
A lifeguard later approached her and informed her that the same man had been reported earlier in the day for similar behavior.
In court, the man denied the accusations, claiming in broken French, “I didn’t touch anyone. It’s a conspiracy. There were many people in the water.” However, the woman later identified him at the police station, where officers noted that he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of his arrest. “My eyes were red because of the water,” he insisted through his interpreter, but the presiding judge reminded him that police had placed him in a drunk tank after his detention.
His defense lawyer criticized the prosecution’s case, calling for his acquittal in this trial.
As reported by Sud Ouest, the Moroccan national is already known to authorities for another case involving sexual assault on a minor.
During the proceedings, it emerged that the man had been subject to an Obligation to Leave French Territory (OQTF) since Sept. 26, 2023, and had repeatedly failed to report to the Bordeaux police as required. In his defense, he told the Court, “I can’t return to Morocco, I’m an atheist.”
The Court sentenced him to a six-month suspended prison term and banned him from Dagueys Beach and all public swimming areas for one year. He is scheduled to stand trial again in September over the separate case of sexual assault involving a minor.
It is unclear whether the man will be forcibly deported following the conclusion of any subsequent custodial sentences.
