A bank manager in France was jailed for 25 years after he was accused of raping, torturing and selling his ex-girlfriend to strangers for seven years. Laëtitia R, the 42-year-old woman petitioner, said that the man, Guillaume Bucci, exerted "psychological control" over her and also forced her into prostitution.
This trial in France comes amid an ongoing hearing regarding a child abuse sex scandal in schools and two years after the Gisele Pelicot case, which shocked the nation and globe.
As per AFP, Guillaume Bucci, who was a bank manager at the time, has been accused of using the pretext of sadomasochistic sex games to manipulate his partner into torture and rape, including by strangers he "recruited" online.
The 51-year-old man has argued that his ex-girlfriend consented to the acts, adding that "he did not think he was hurting her."
However, the 42-year-old woman, Laëtitia R, stated that Bucci exerted "psychological control" over her during the seven years of their relationship.
'Felt like I was dying'
Speaking at the trial, the woman stated that the torture began after her ex-partner suggested the idea of sadomasochism. Recalling the conversation, she told the court that she thought he was referring to "spanking, being tied up" and other BDSM plays. However, she stated that the act turned into "pure and simple violence."
{{/usCountry}}Speaking at the trial, the woman stated that the torture began after her ex-partner suggested the idea of sadomasochism. Recalling the conversation, she told the court that she thought he was referring to "spanking, being tied up" and other BDSM plays. However, she stated that the act turned into "pure and simple violence."
{{/usCountry}}She also shared that Bucci told her that if she did not like it, they would stop. But the torture continued for the next seven years.
The woman was also subjected to regular assaults with belts, cutting boards, electrical cables and strangulation.
The mother of three further stated that she lived in "constant fear" that Bucci would release the recordings of the sex violence if she tried to leave him, forcing her into the relationship.
Hundreds of text and voice messages presented in court showed that Bucci had threatened to kill her if she didn’t do as he said, proving she was acting against her will.
“Little by little, I felt like I was dying inside. With each practice imposed, there was a part of me that broke permanently," she told the court, as per Telegraph
This sadomasochism later turned into prostitution, where Bucci pushed her to sleep with other men. Laëtitia recalled a key event in 2015, where the man asked her to go to a motorway station on Christmas Eve and "offer herself to strangers."
Bucci then began selling her to "friends, colleagues and strangers," while keeping a list of the men involved.
"I stopped counting at 487 men, some of whom I had seen up to 10 times," she added. Laëtitia also added that she now suffers from significant disabilities due to the abuse inflicted on her by her ex-partner and strangers.
The woman added that in 2017, on the day she was discharged from the hospital after giving birth to their daughter, Bucci forced her to perform a sex act on a truck driver.
She told the court that she took inspiration from Gisele Pelicot's case and decided to press charges. While in Pelicot's case, her husband drugged her, Laeticia stated that Bucci kept her conscious on purpose.
“He said I needed to realise what was happening to me,” she said. “I remember everything.”
25 years of jail for banker
After hearing the statements from both parties, the court sentenced Bucci to 25 years in jail. The ruling added that he must serve at least two-thirds of his sentence in order to be eligible for parole.
Prosecutors had requested a life sentence for the 51-year-old man to prevent the "risk of reoffending against another woman".
Before the trial, Bucci had already spent four years in detention, said local reports, adding that his name has also been registered on the sex offenders list.
Local reports further added that the court prohibited him from contacting Laëtitia or her children, including their 8-year-old daughter. He also lost all parental rights and has been banned from owning an animal, after he admitted to killing a cat with a firearm, and for forcing Laëtitia to engage in bestiality.