The President of the criminal court, Stéphanie Lochon-Dallet, shows a photo to the five defendants.
“How did we get to this point?”, she asks. In the image, the bloodied head of H. with a broken nose is recognizable.
The events date back to January 2025, and a first hearing on March 9th allowed a review of the facts.
So, on January 8th, it’s late, around midnight, when the music fills the small residence.
The residents are used to the incident, they explain in court, but this time, they couldn’t take it anymore. Because it has been going on for months.
“Tonight, I couldn’t sleep so I went downstairs,” explains A.
He rings the doorbell but is not well received, he claims. “I was kicked, insulted, threatened with death threats.” A. recounts being then thrown against the hallway wall.
Alerted by the noise, other neighbors come down… and get involved.
Circuit breaker and physical violence
The circuit breaker of the apartment is turned off, physical violence ensues within H.’s household, according to him.
A neighbor mentions “three small punches” during his testimony, only to be immediately corrected by the president, who presents the photo of H.’s swollen face again.
“They hit me in the head,” he claims, explaining that he was also hit by a neighbor wielding a bamboo stick.
In the general confusion, the fight then continues on the landing. That’s when H. comes out of his apartment, armed with a tear gas bomb which he sprays on the landing, before being subdued by another neighbor who arrived in the meantime.
Fines and prison sentences
“It’s difficult to determine who did what,” commented the prosecutor Emilie Taligault at the end of the story of this night of reciprocal violence.
“Beyond the seriousness of the injuries, it’s difficult to find an appropriate punishment,” continued the prosecutor, as everyone involved continues to live under the same roof since the altercations, with H.’s relocation proposals having no effect.
His lawyer then describes neighborly relations that have deteriorated since the announcement of the villa’s sale by its owner, who is also one of his neighbors.
“H. won’t cope with this change,” comments his lawyer to justify the night disturbances.
The Grasse tribunal sentenced the six defendants on Monday to fines ranging from 200 to 825 euros and prison sentences ranging from 2 to 4 months with probation and up to 6 months with electronic monitoring ankle bracelets.
