In a landmark verdict that has captured national attention, a Paris court has convicted former French senator Joel Guerriau of administering ecstasy to a fellow parliamentarian with intent to commit sexual assault. The 68-year-old politician received a four-year prison sentence, with eighteen months to be served without suspension.
The case unfolded against the backdrop of heightened awareness about drug-facilitated crimes in France, coming just months after another shocking case where Dominique Pelicot received a 20-year sentence for systematically drugging his wife to enable multiple rapes.
During emotional testimony, National Assembly MP Sandrine Josso described her traumatic experience at Guerriau’s upscale Paris apartment in November 2023. The 50-year-old lawmaker, who had known Guerriau professionally for a decade, recounted how what began as a celebration of his re-election quickly turned sinister. After noting her champagne tasted unusually sweet and sticky, Josso experienced rapid heart rate and severe physical distress that required hospitalization.
Forensic evidence presented at trial revealed high concentrations of MDMA (ecstasy) in Josso’s system, with additional quantities of the drug discovered during a search of Guerriau’s residence. The prosecution emphasized that Guerriau, as a former senator who had actually voted to create the offense of administering substances with intent to commit sexual assault, held a particular responsibility to uphold the law he helped establish.
While Guerriau maintained the drugging was accidental—claiming he had prepared the glass earlier for personal use during a panic attack—prosecutor Benjamin Coulon dismissed this explanation as implausible. The prosecution successfully argued that the administration was deliberate and sexually motivated, noting the absence of any other rational explanation for spiking a colleague’s drink.
The conviction carries significant professional consequences beyond imprisonment, including a five-year ban from public office and potential registration as a sex offender. The case has sparked broader conversations about accountability among public officials and protection against drug-facilitated crimes in France, which recently updated its legal definition of rape to emphasize consent following other European nations.