Man sentenced to ten years in prison

A 63-year-old man named André Schillet has been sentenced to ten years in prison for sexually assaulting and raping his daughters. The conviction followed a three-day trial at the departmental criminal court in Vienne, near Poitiers, where he was found guilty on Monday, October 12.

Man claims innocence and plans to appeal

André Schillet, who maintains his innocence, is considering appealing the decision. This information was confirmed by the prosecutor's office to BFM on Tuesday. The case has its roots in 2018, when the older daughter of the accused requested legal action to keep her father away.

Victims recount abuse during childhood

According to reports from La Nouvelle République, the older daughter stated she was a victim of rapes and inappropriate touching during her childhood in Chauvigny (Vienne) between 2001 and 2009. The following year, the younger daughter mentioned having been touched by her father in the intimate areas.

Multiple testimonies support the victims

During the trial, several testimonies supported the accounts of the two complainants. Notably, the accused’s half-brother testified that he had also been a victim of sexual abuse in his childhood. However, André Schillet has consistently denied the incest accusations, calling them a "revenge" orchestrated by his now adult daughters.

Defense claims conspiracy and emotional detachment

The defense lawyer, Maître Ibrahima Niass Dia, acknowledged his client's lack of emotion toward his former partners but dissociated it from the rape accusations. He noted that the accused has never changed his story, and the trial revealed two opposing versions of events.

Judges reject defense arguments

The judges were not convinced by the defense's arguments. In addition to the ten-year prison sentence, André Schillet is prohibited from contacting the victims and their mother for three years. His current partner and stepchildren testified in support of him, describing him as "a calm, sociable man with a perfectly normal sexuality."