American with false passport convicted of rape in south of France

An American man travelling under an assumed identity on a false passport and wanted in two US states has been convicted of rape and sentenced to 13 years in prison by a court in Nice.

The court heard that 44-year-old Keith Bernard, met the 19-year-old victim, known as Irène, at a nightclub on place de l’Armée-du-Rhin, Nice, on the night of November 10-11, 2021.

She was later found in distress on the pavement with no recollection of what had happened.

Video surveillance footage revealed that Bernard had accompanied the staggering young woman to the back seats of a car, which belonged to neither of them.

He was filmed returning to the nightclub to get his coat 45 minutes later.

Bernard’s lawyer told the court in Nice that his client had had consensual sex with Irène.

However, witnesses attested to Irène’s clear vulnerability. The court heard that she was not used to drinking and on the night in question was confirmed to have an alcohol blood level of 1.8g/l. She had left the nightclub without her purse.

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Wanted in two US states

Bernard, a musician, had been going under the name William Barnes at the time, and travelled to France on a false passport.

The court heard that he was wanted in Florida and Oklahoma for drug trafficking and rape.

The procurer, Sandra Verbrugghen, requested a maximum sentence of 15 years. He was sentenced on Saturday, March 16, to 13 years in prison for rape of a vulnerable individual and identity theft.

Bernard has until March 26 to appeal the verdict.

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