Ex-senator Joël Guerriau convicted of drugging lawmaker

On Jan. 27, 2026, a Paris court found former senator Joël Guerriau guilty of slipping a drug into champagne he served to Sandrine Josso, a member of the National Assembly, with the intent to sexually assault her. The court convicted Mr. Guerriau of administering a judgment-altering substance, identified by the prosecutor as ecstasy, to Ms.

Josso without her knowledge and of illegally possessing narcotics. He was sentenced to four years in prison, with 30 months suspended, given a five-year electoral ban and ordered to pay Ms. Josso 9,000 euros in damages. The court also required him to undergo psychological or psychiatric treatment and prohibited him from contacting Ms.

Josso. The court rejected Mr. Guerriau’s defense that the drugging had been “inadvertently” committed. His lawyer said outside the courthouse that he would appeal, which puts the sentence on hold. According to French news outlets, Mr. Guerriau, who resigned as senator in October 2025, admitted possessing the substance but said he did not know it was ecstasy and denied knowingly drugging Ms.

Josso or intending to assault her; his defence said he had placed the drug in a glass for his own use the day before and forgot it when he poured the champagne. The accusations date to November 2023, when Ms. Josso recounted the incident to France 5 and later filed a complaint after spending a night in hospital.