Vendée | 10 years for rape of a minor

After two days of trial before the Vendée criminal court, Sylvain Guittonneau, 39, was sentenced to ten years of criminal imprisonment for rape of a 13 year old girl,

«A psychic murder. In the two years that I have observed this teenager, more than I have heard her, this definition takes on its full meaning,» breathes Emmanuelle Pichodo, the victim’s lawyer.

Faced with an unvarnished victim, the accused's ambivalence only increased.

She, the «introverted teenager», who had confided in the school nurse thanks to a friend. Who had not been able to say what his attacker had done to him, but had been able to write it to his grandmother.

Who had hesitated to denounce the facts for fear that his mother, an alcoholic, would «commit suicide» if her partner went to prison.

She seemed to suffer throughout the audience.

«A few days after the incident, she spoke of nightmares and intrusive thoughts. There was a strong psychological impact,» said the forensic doctor.

Throughout the investigation, and during part of the trial, Sylvain Guittonneau however, blamed the teenager.

Going so far as to invent «sexual discussions» with boys on social networks. Or even the use of his mother’s «sex toys».

In his pleading, his counsel even insisted on the fact «that he had confused the mother and the daughter» when he woke up on the sofa.

«The truth is difficult to hear,» dares Mayeul de Saint-Seine, defense lawyer.

«Confessions of circumstances»

Gwenaëlle Coto, the general counsel, did not hear it that way.

«He spoke of impulse, but given what the psychologist said, we can wonder if he was not waiting for the right moment to take action. I don't know if there is a real recognition of the facts. »

The civil party’s lawyer even goes so far as to mention «confessions of circumstances».

However, the accused had admitted to the rape from the stage of police custody. In reality, everything had happened quickly in this affair.

Between the arrival of the victim at her mother's home and the rape of her partner, fifteen days passed. It was a Saturday.

On Monday, she reported the facts to her college nurse. The same day, a report is sent to the prosecutor. The next day, the police summoned the grandmother and the little girl.

after the report «I would like to emphasize the importance of the responsiveness of all professionals: nurse, prosecutor, investigators, France victim,» recalls Emmanuelle Pichodo.

Three days later, the accused was incarcerated.

«He who saw himself as the savior became a rapist»

But until the last day, its lack of questioning weighed on the decision of the magistrates.

Just like the worrying portrait painted by the experts. That of a «dangerous man» who «slipped little by little into madness». «The one who saw himself as the savior became the rapist,» summarizes the attorney general.

In addition to its ten years of criminal imprisonment, Sylvain Guittonneau was sentenced to five years in socio-judicial monitoring.

Upon his release from prison, he will have notably the ban to appear in Vendée and’contact the victim, his mother and his grandmother.

A way to help the victim rebuild themselves with more serenity.