When it comes to justice, the absent are always wrong. We saw it once again during this criminal hearing on traffic offenses and under the leadership of Jennifer Bachelet and Anthony Garcia. In his absence, the court examined the case of Xavier Gauthier, 40, born in Papeete. A motorist arrested around 12.30 on August 13 by the gendarmes during a night road control organized in Faucon-de-Barcelonnette.

Responsible for two personal accidents

The soldiers quickly find that not only is the driver circulating without a driver’s license, but also without insurance and under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Further investigations revealed an amount of 1.4 g of alcohol per liters of blood, far beyond the standards required by the Road Traffic Act. Although the defendant did not respond to the subpoena, Maxime Gomichon, the deputy public prosecutor, evokes the personality of the driver, irresponsible and repeat offender. A personality rooted in traffic crime with 17 mentions in his criminal record, including six for driving without a license, two without insurance, four for drinking and two convictions for being responsible for traffic accidents that caused personal injury.

“Despite the numerous admonitions of justice and a sentence of one year in prison in 2019, the defendant continues in crime”, clarifies the representative of the public prosecutor, who claims, as suppression of these new offenses, 14 months of imprisonment with arrest warrant. It is this sentence, accompanied by an arrest warrant, that the court imposes on the defendant, adding that he will not be able to get his driver’s license again for a year after his sentence is served. His vehicle, which has already been seized, will be confiscated.