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French football star's trial for soliciting minor adjourned | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
The trial of French footballers Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema on charges of paying for sex with an under-age prostitute has been adjourned in Paris. | |
After the opening, the judge agreed with defence lawyers that another court must first consider whether the law was too vague to be applicable. | |
Both stars deny the allegations, and the girl involved has said neither player knew she was not 18 at the time. | |
Zahia Dehar, now 21, is a household name who has her own fashion label. | |
Under French law, paid sex with someone under the age of 18 is regarded as sex with a minor - punishable by three years in prison and a 45,000-euro fine (£38,600). | |
Six other people have been charged over the affair, which broke before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Some of them are accused of "aggravated pimping". | Six other people have been charged over the affair, which broke before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Some of them are accused of "aggravated pimping". |
Prostitution ring | Prostitution ring |
Mr Ribery and Mr Benzema were not present at the short session in the Paris court. | |
Defence lawyers for the two footballers had challenged the legal basis for the charges against their clients and the judge later agreed. | |
The case was then adjourned until January. | |
Mr Ribery, a Bayern Munich midfielder, escaped his childhood deprivation in northern France to become one of Europe's highest-paid footballing stars, the BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris reports. | Mr Ribery, a Bayern Munich midfielder, escaped his childhood deprivation in northern France to become one of Europe's highest-paid footballing stars, the BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris reports. |
He cultivated a wholesome image as a family man, married to his childhood sweetheart, and also as an observant convert to Islam, our correspondent adds. | He cultivated a wholesome image as a family man, married to his childhood sweetheart, and also as an observant convert to Islam, our correspondent adds. |
But in 2010, he and Mr Benzema, a Real Madrid star, were arrested as part of an investigation into a Paris prostitution ring. | But in 2010, he and Mr Benzema, a Real Madrid star, were arrested as part of an investigation into a Paris prostitution ring. |
Mr Ribery has since admitted he had sex with Algerian-born Zahia Dehar in Munich in 2009, when she was aged 17. | Mr Ribery has since admitted he had sex with Algerian-born Zahia Dehar in Munich in 2009, when she was aged 17. |
The footballer maintains the 700 euros he paid her, covered transport, hotel and food costs. | |
Ms Dehar said it was his 26th birthday present to himself. | |
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema is alleged to have met Ms Dahar in 2008 in a Champs Elysee nightclub and to have taken her back to his hotel where he paid 500 euros to sleep with her. | |
He denies there was any encounter. | |
In France, the age for consenting sex is 15, but soliciting a prostitute under 18 is a crime. | In France, the age for consenting sex is 15, but soliciting a prostitute under 18 is a crime. |
Ms Dehar told investigators that neither footballer had known her real age - because she had lied to them. | Ms Dehar told investigators that neither footballer had known her real age - because she had lied to them. |
The state prosecutor had asked for the case to be dropped in November 2009, but the investigating judge said Ms Dehar looked so young that they must have known. | The state prosecutor had asked for the case to be dropped in November 2009, but the investigating judge said Ms Dehar looked so young that they must have known. |
Mr Ribery's lawyer, Carlo-Alberto Brusa, says Ms Dehar travelled across borders for paid sex and knew exactly what she was doing. | Mr Ribery's lawyer, Carlo-Alberto Brusa, says Ms Dehar travelled across borders for paid sex and knew exactly what she was doing. |
"In French law, it's not forbidden to make love to a woman and even to pay her for it, what is forbidden is to do it with a minor," he told the Reuters news agency. "When a woman travels around Europe by plane, can you imagine thinking for one second that she's a minor?" | "In French law, it's not forbidden to make love to a woman and even to pay her for it, what is forbidden is to do it with a minor," he told the Reuters news agency. "When a woman travels around Europe by plane, can you imagine thinking for one second that she's a minor?" |
Following the launch of the high-profile investigation, Ms Dehar became fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld's muse and protegee, launching her own luxury lingerie line. | Following the launch of the high-profile investigation, Ms Dehar became fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld's muse and protegee, launching her own luxury lingerie line. |