The Wheels of Justice turn for offenses committed in Monaco

Knife Fight Under the Influence of Drugs and Alcohol

An unemployed 18-year-old French youth was hauled before the Correctional Tribunal formally for possession of drugs. His lifestyle centred around drug-taking, including smoking cannabis or “pot” or whatever he could buy each and every weekend, including cocaine, and treating himself to an extra hallucinating dose on his birthdays.

On March 17th last year, at 4.20 pm the police were called to Route de la Piscine, arriving just in time to take the victim of the fight to Princess Grace Hospital Emergency Department. While attending to the patient, the doctors found cocaine, cannabis and marijuana in his pockets. And so the youth found himself dragged into court. He admitted buying the drugs at the train station in France with money provided to him by his parents. He was training as a painter but had no job, thus no money of his own. He also admitted to reinforcing the effects of the drugs with alcohol. The Prosecution also made the point that young people were habitually taking drugs prior to their weekend’s fun-outings and that they were a serious danger to others and harming their own health at the same time.

The Magistrate had recourse to information showing a prior conviction in 2015 for using drugs; the Court did not accept the defence’s plea for a small fine and gave the youth a suspended prison sentence of 10 days.

Monaco Detectives Bust a Drug Dealing Ring

A Belgian resident in Monaco, 54 years old, had up and down fortunes in his business and fell into depression in February of 2014 and started resorting to heavy use of drugs – first marijuana, then cannabis and finally cocaine. He had several suppliers, an Italian waiter, a French chauffeur and an old Tunisian. An informant tipped off the Monaco Police that the Tunisian was making money in the drug trade. There followed some slick detective work that was successful in tapping into incriminating conversations between the dealers and the Belgian. The detectives figured out that “the good wine arriving” and “Limoncello” were code for drugs. The detectives swooped by the Heliport, the base of the Tunisian and confiscated 2.98 grammes of cocaine and 180 euros cash. They then arrested the Belgian addict at his apartment, who they caught in possession of marijuana. In court the Belgium claimed that the less powerful drugs were for entertainment but the cocaine was to deal with sorrow from a death. In 3 years he went through 3 kgs of cannabis and 240 grams of cocaine. He claimed the Tunisian just helped to connect him to the Italian and Frenchman who were the real dealers.

The Prosecution asked for firm severe jail sentences for the dealers (and stiff fines) which were pared back by the Court to between 10 months and 6 months firm in jail for all three involved in supplying drugs. The Belgian who consumed the drugs, put up his own defence, and attested that he was in rehabilitation and seeking to revive his business. He received a 10 months suspended prison sentence and a 5.000 euro fine.

Fire from a Cigarette Butt Incapacitates a Brave Fireman

A very sad case resulting in the serious injury of a fireman on April 30th, 2016 led on appeal to suspended jail sentences for a Monegasque couple in Fontvieille and stiff fines and penalties. The husband under examination by the court admitted to having a lighted cigarette with him on descending to the basement of the building to fetch an appliance. He denied leaving the cigarette butt there. A fire resulted that led to the Fire department sending in a team of four firemen. One of the firemen, visually impaired by the thick smoke, was severely injured on touching a live wire connection.

The Court was not impressed with a comment by the defence trying to mitigate the blame by putting the responsibility on the firemen for disconnecting the electricity. They were praised for preventing the building from burning down. SMEG had already been alerted.

Six-month suspended jail sentences for the couple were reaffirmed. 20.000 euros in compensation and damages for the firefighter and 5.000 euros for his wife. A 58.309 euro claim by the State was also approved. In addition, the couple were ordered to repair the damage from the fire.