Court Dismisses Rape Allegations Against Director Luc Besson

Photo by Gage Skidmore

BY Josiah HughesPublished Feb 25, 2019

Last year, French filmmaker Luc Besson (LucyValerian) was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women. This included an allegation of rape from Dutch-Belgian actress Sand Van Roy, though a French court has now thrown out the case.

According to Variety, French police spent nine months looking into Van Roy's allegations that Besson raped her. They claim they did not find proof of the offence. As such, a Paris court has now thrown out the case.

Van Roy (who had a minor role in Valerian and the City of Thousand Planets) filed two complaints accusing Besson of sexual assault. The first was on May 18, 2018, accusing the director of rape on May 17 at the Bristol Hotel in Paris. The second complaint — filed on July 6, 2018 — accused him of repeated violent sexual relations between March 2016 and May 2018.

Besson had repeatedly denied Van Roy's allegations.

In a statement, his lawyers said that Besson learned with "satisfaction" that the case was dismissed. The statement also said the director regretted that some people had "hastily condemned him and thanks the ones whose constant support allowed him to face these difficult months."

Van Roy has not issued any public statement as of press time.





 

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