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French actor Gérard Depardieu must be tried for allegations of sexual assault, the Paris prosecutor’s office has announced.
The 75-year-old actor was summoned to the Paris police station on Monday morning, the BFMTV channel said.
He was questioned about separate allegations made by women who worked with Depardieu on film sets in 2014 and 2021.
Depardieu was released later the same day and denies the charges, his lawyer said.
Shortly after, prosecutors said Depardieu would appear in court in October for the 2021 assault allegations.
“I confirm that following his custody… G. Depardieu was summoned to appear before the criminal court,” the Paris public prosecutor told the BBC.
“He will be tried in October 2024 for sexual assaults allegedly committed in September 2021 on two victims, during the filming of the film.”The green shutters (The green shutters).”
One of the women involved in the incident claims the assault took place on the set of the film, released the following year.
His lawyer told BFMTV that his client “was crossing a corridor where Mr. Depardieu was sitting.”
“He grabbed her, pinned her between her legs and touched her body up to her breasts.
“She felt completely helpless, unable to escape this trap.”
In 2020, the actor was accused of raping actress Charlotte Arnould, when she was 22 in 2018.
In his press release on Monday evening, the prosecutor specified: “Moreover, G. Depardieu is the subject of an investigation (in another case) for the crimes of rape and sexual assault which were allegedly committed in August 2018 in against Charlotte Arnould.
“The investigating judge concluded his investigation on April 17, 2024, and transmitted the file to the Paris public prosecutor’s office to obtain his recommendations on the follow-up to be taken.”
Another case was brought by actress Hélène Darras but was abandoned by prosecutors for exceeding the statute of limitations.
Depardieu has also been accused of sexual assault by more than a dozen women.
He denies any wrongdoing and says any relationships he had were consensual.
In an open letter published last year, he said: “Never, ever have I abused a woman.”
Depardieu, an Oscar nominee, is a notable figure in French and international cinema, having directed more than 200 films.
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News Source : www.bbc.com
