Christophe Ruggia Found Guilty of Sexual Assault on Adèle Haenel, Sentenced to Four Years in Prison, Two of Which Are Served in Custody

The Paris Criminal Court delivered its verdict on Monday, February 3. Christophe Ruggia, 60, was found guilty of sexually assaulting actress Adèle Haenel when she was a minor. He was sentenced to four years in prison, two of which will be served under electronic monitoring at home. In December, the prosecution had requested a sentence of five years in prison, including two years of actual imprisonment, to be served with an electronic bracelet.

Ruggia has announced that he will appeal the verdict, according to his lawyer, Fanny Collin, who made the statement after the hearing.

A Case That Shattered French Cinema

This case, which has deeply shaken the French film industry, opened the door to the French #MeToo movement. Haenel’s accusations, initially made public in 2019 through Mediapart, and later confirmed in court, were about sexual assaults that occurred after the filming of Les Diables in 2001. The assaults lasted for two years and took place nearly every Saturday afternoon when the actress was between 12 and 14 years old.

In her testimony, Haenel, now 35 and on a break from acting, described how Ruggia would position himself next to her on the couch, “pretending it was normal,” and repeatedly touched her inappropriately under the pretense of having “discussions” related to the film’s promotion.

Haenel’s Testimony and Ruggia’s Defense

The actress vividly recounted her experience during the trial in December. “I couldn’t get out of the situation,” she said, recalling how Ruggia repeatedly touched her, despite her discomfort. She expressed how difficult it was to break free from the power dynamics at play, with the director telling her that he had “created” her and, at times, accusing her of being “too mature for her age.”

In contrast, Ruggia defended himself by claiming that he had not been “attracted” to Haenel and that the accusations against him were driven by “revenge” after he had refused to cast her again in a role. According to him, the #MeToo movement in France had “fallen upon him.”

Adèle Haenel’s emotional outbursts during the trial added to the intensity. During one moment, as Ruggia continued to deny the accusations, Haenel jumped up and shouted, “Shut up!” banging her hands on the table. The courtroom was stunned into silence.

The Court’s Judgment

The court found that Ruggia had “imposed sexualized behaviors” on Haenel and had attempted to isolate her from her family and friends. The prosecutor had requested a five-year sentence, with two years in prison, highlighting the severity of the acts and the impact on the victim.

In her final statement, the prosecutor stated, “Adèle Haenel is the victim. Mr. Ruggia made the choice to sexually assault her. He is the adult.”

Ruggia’s defense focused on the idea that Haenel’s testimony was influenced by “false convictions” and rejected the notion that there had been any form of “romantic affection” between the two.

Adèle Haenel’s Defiant Stand

Adèle Haenel, who had left the film industry following the public disclosure of the assault, left the courtroom to applause after hearing the verdict. The judgment is seen as a significant moment in the ongoing fight against sexual abuse in the French entertainment world.

In a final statement to the court, Haenel had also expressed her pain, saying, “When people ask me to cry for Mr. Ruggia, I ask them, who cared about the child? Aggressing children like that has consequences. It’s not something you can just ignore.”

Ruggia’s lawyer has confirmed that he will appeal the decision, but the verdict remains a powerful symbol of the changing tides within French cinema and society.