Police drop probe into French ambassador sexual assault claims

Police dropped a probe on Tuesday into allegations of sexual assault against France's ambassador to the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu.

The French government fired Robby Judes after two women said he groped them during an official visit to New Caledonia in February.

"In my opinion, an offence was committed, but I found the foreign ministry's response to be proportional to the seriousness of what happened," prosecutor Alexis Bouroz told AFP.

Judes denied the allegations, but Paris bosses sacked him in March after calling him back to Paris to explain himself.

One of his alleged victims, Cherifa Linossier, who heads a business group, accused Judes of "stroking her bottom several times at a cocktail party" even though she "expressed her disapproval".

"I have no intention of giving up," she told New Caledonian radio station NC 1ere. "I don't understand the message being sent to women. This isn't a personal fight, it's a fight for all those women who dare not speak out."

Article 222-33 of the French Criminal Code defines sexual harassment as the act of repeatedly subjecting a person to unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when such conduct either compromises the victim’s dignity through demeaning or humiliating words or actions, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the victim.

Sexual harassment is punishable by two years of imprisonment and a fine of €30,000.

This penalty is increased to three years of imprisonment and a fine of €45,000 if the offence involves abuse of the authority vested in the offender by virtue of his
or her position.

It is not clear if the laws apply to the diplomat.