An extremely violent altercation broke out on the Place du Port in Tournon-sur-Rhône during the night from Saturday to Sunday. Young people tried to intervene in a couple’s fight and were beaten back with fire extinguisher, knife and what appears to be a hammer. The trial of the two alleged attackers has just been postponed until December 16.
“I thought my brother was going to die” – One of the victims
It is 2:30 am, a few meters from the L’Hilarios nightclub on the banks of the Rhône. From her home, one of the victims is attracted by screams outside. “I saw a man hit his pregnant wife on the ground”, she says, still upset. She goes out with her brother and her boyfriend to try to intervene. Another group of young people join them.
But their help turns against them. A general fight breaks out. Against a background of alcohol, the future father and a friend of the couple go wild. They strike first with fists and then with a fire extinguisher, a hammer-breaker – “an ice pick” says a victim – and a knife. The fight ends in blood. One of the young people who came to help broken jaw. Another has the face partly slashed and must have had stitches. They end up taking refuge in the nearby nightclub.
“It was so violent, I think about it all the time. I find it hard to sleep. I thought my brother was going to die.”, tells one of the victims who, transfixed by fear, moved. Proof of the violence of the altercation, ITTs of 5 to 15 days have been observed. A gendarme was also assaulted and received death threats.
“I apologize for what happened” – One of the attackers
This Tuesday, November 23, the two young attackers – the future father and his friend, 22 and 26 years old respectively – arrived handcuffed at the Privas court. These two inhabitants of Tournon-sur-Rhône have a full criminal record: 18 convictions for the youngest and 12 for the oldest. They asked for a delay to ensure their defense. They will be tried on December 16, in particular for willful violence in a meeting with the use of weapons. In the meantime, they are remanded in custody.
Yet their lawyer pleaded for judicial review. The youngest, sluggish, is followed by the local mission and undergoes training. He suffers from a one-off addiction to cannabis and alcohol. “I smoke but it’s not an addiction”, he justifies himself in the box. The older one seems to have regained some stability in his life. Now on permanent contract, father in about a month, he says he “changed”: “I have done stupid things but I am proud, I have a stable job and I try to integrate myself into society”. His companion, present in court, cries on hearing him and sends him a few kisses from afar.
“Look at his companion, breathes their lawyer. Not a bruise, not a scratch. There are contradictions in this file, I will ask you to be very careful “. The companion leaves the court in tears. Her partner and her friend go to prison.
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