In a landmark verdict that has sent shockwaves through French political circles, former senator Joël Guerriau has been found guilty of administering a harmful substance with intent to commit sexual assault against fellow parliamentarian Sandrine Josso. The 68-year-old politician received a four-year prison sentence, with eighteen months to be served behind bars, following a trial that exposed disturbing details of the November 2023 incident.
A Celebratory Meeting Turns Sinister
The case centres on what began as a seemingly innocent celebration between political colleagues. Sandrine Josso, a 50-year-old National Assembly MP, visited Guerriau at his upscale Paris apartment in the capital's prestigious 6th arrondissement to mark his re-election. What followed was a harrowing experience that would leave lasting physical and psychological scars.
Josso described arriving "with a light heart" only to discover "an attacker" as the evening progressed. The atmosphere turned ominous when Guerriau poured her a glass of champagne that tasted unusually sweet and sticky. "I thought maybe it was a bad champagne," she testified, noting his insistence on repeated toasts as particularly strange.
Medical Consequences and Psychological Trauma
Soon after consuming the drink, Josso experienced severe physical symptoms including a racing heartbeat that prompted her to leave abruptly and seek hospital treatment. Subsequent toxicology reports revealed dangerously high levels of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, in her bloodstream. Police later discovered the drug during a search of Guerriau's apartment.
The aftermath has been devastating for the MP, who required six months away from her parliamentary duties for intensive recovery. Her lawyer, Arnaud Godefroy, detailed the extensive treatment she has undergone, including "physical treatment, psychological and psychiatric follow-up, nightmares, flashbacks, and dissociation." The stress proved so severe that Josso needed four teeth removed due to persistent grinding.
Contrasting Narratives in Court
During proceedings, Guerriau offered a dramatically different account, describing the drugging as accidental. He claimed to have prepared the ecstasy-laced glass the previous day to manage a panic attack but decided against taking it, returning the contaminated vessel to his cupboard. "In short, I am an idiot," he concluded, while maintaining there was no sexual motivation behind his actions.
Prosecutor Benjamin Coulon presented a compelling counter-narrative, arguing that Guerriau "deliberately placed" MDMA in Josso's champagne with clear intent. He requested additional penalties including a five-year ban from public office and registration as a sex offender, emphasising the particular gravity of the offence given Guerriau's position as an elected official duty-bound to "set an example."
Political Fallout and Legal Context
The case has triggered significant political repercussions. Guerriau resigned from the Senate in October and was swiftly expelled from the centre-right Horizons party. Ironically, as prosecutor Coulon noted, the former senator had previously voted for legislation creating the very offence of which he now stands convicted.
This high-profile trial follows another disturbing French case that saw Dominique Pelicot receive a twenty-year sentence for repeatedly drugging his wife to facilitate rapes by multiple strangers. The timing coincides with France's recent adoption of consent-based definitions of rape, bringing it in line with other European nations including the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.
While Guerriau's defence team has announced plans to appeal, describing public emotion as "a bad adviser" that "erases all nuance," Josso expressed "huge relief" at the verdict. The case continues to raise urgent questions about safety, accountability, and the abuse of power within political institutions.
