Rabat – Salim Berrada, a 38-year-old Moroccan photographer, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison by the criminal court of Paris for multiple counts of rape and sexual assault.
The crimes took place between 2014 and 2016, with 12 rapes and 3 sexual assaults being proven in court, according to French outlet Le Figaro. Berrada, who has been banned from French territory as part of his sentence, faced allegations of rape and sexual assault from 17 women.
Despite some acquittals due to lack of evidence, the court highlighted the organized nature of the crimes and the serial pattern.
Berrada, who arrived in France at 18 and pursued a career in photography, targeted young women via social media platforms like Facebook and Tinder.
According to Le Figaro, Berrada induced his victims to his studio in Paris by offering free photoshoots. He would then ply them with alcohol and drugs and then assault them.
Despite chilling testimonies from the victims during the trial, Berrada denied the charges. He claimed consensual encounters or denied any involvement altogether.
“I have never drugged anyone. I have never had a modus operandi to rape anyone,” he said during his trial as quoted by BFMTV.
Prosecutor Philippe Courroye highlighted Berrada’s predatory behavior and his lack of remorse or acknowledgment of wrongdoing. “How can you hope for a change in behavior … he acknowledges nothing,” he lamented.
The case has sparked public outrage, with many expressing dissatisfaction with the sentence and believing it to be too lenient for the severity of the crimes committed.
The issue of border control and the enforcement of the ban on Berrada from French territory has also been raised.
