A hotel night watchman in the French city of Dijon has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old British tourist.
The 46-year-old man was arrested in June following the incident, which occurred while the teenager was visiting the historic city with her family.
The court in Dijon heard that the teenager had left her room at around 2am to make a phone call in the hotel corridor when she encountered the night watchman.
Teenager Was Speaking on the Phone
According to the case presented to the court, the teenager had gone into the corridor during the early hours of the morning to speak on the phone.
It was during this time that she crossed paths with the hotel employee.
The circumstances led to the sexual assault for which the watchman was subsequently prosecuted and convicted.
The man admitted the act during proceedings but offered a different interpretation of what had happened.
Defendant Claimed He Thought He Had ‘Charmed’ Her
During his court appearance, the defendant acknowledged his conduct but said he believed he had attracted the teenager’s interest.
He told the court that he regretted going upstairs that night and referred to his belief that he might have “charmed” the 17-year-old.
The defendant also told the court: “I am not a monster.”
The comments were made in the context of his attempt to explain his actions to the judges.
Court Keeps Defendant in Custody
The hotel worker appeared before the court in August and sought to be released from custody.
Judges rejected the request and ordered that he remain in pretrial detention while the case progressed.
Following the guilty verdict, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Monday.
Incident Took Place in Dijon
The case was heard in Dijon, a historic city in eastern France that attracts tourists throughout the year.
The teenager had been staying there as part of a family holiday when the incident occurred.
The conviction adds to a series of cases involving British and other foreign tourists who have reported sexual violence while visiting France in recent years.
Previous Case Involved British Tourist in Paris
The Dijon case comes after other serious allegations involving British tourists in France.
A year earlier, a British woman was reportedly raped repeatedly by a taxi driver following a night out with friends in Paris.
The case highlighted concerns about the vulnerability of tourists returning from social events late at night.
British Tourist Reported Rape After Being Drugged
In August 2024, another British tourist, aged 34, reported being raped after she said she had been drugged during a night out in Paris.
According to local media reports cited in the case, she had gone to dinner before visiting a hookah bar in the city’s 16th arrondissement at about 4am.
She had reportedly been invited there by a man whom the group had met earlier that night.
The woman later told police that her next memory was waking up in an unfamiliar room, where she realised she had been raped.
Australian Tourist Case Also Drew Attention
Another case involving a foreign tourist in Paris received widespread attention after security footage showed an Australian woman seeking help inside a kebab shop.
The woman was reportedly visibly distressed after an alleged gang rape.
The footage showed her seeking refuge inside the establishment before one of the men she said had assaulted her reportedly appeared at the shop shortly afterward.
The incident added to concerns about the safety of women travelling or socialising in unfamiliar cities.
Conviction Brings Dijon Case to a Close
The Dijon court’s decision means the hotel night watchman will serve an 18-month prison sentence for the assault of the British teenager.
The case has also drawn attention to the risks faced by young tourists while travelling abroad, particularly during late-night encounters with people working in or around accommodation.
The defendant’s admission and subsequent conviction were central to the court proceedings, while his claim that he believed he had “charmed” the teenager did not prevent the guilty verdict.
