Three former Grenoble players sent forward for rape trial

Three former Grenoble players have been sent forward for trial for rape following a night out on Bordeaux in 2017. 

Denis Coulson, an Irishman who is now at Carcassonne, Rory Grice, a New Zealander now attached to Oyonnax, and Loïck Jammes, a Frenchman who has moved to Provence, will all appear before the Assize Court of the Gironde. 

According to French newspaper Sud Ouest, the three went into downtown Bordeaux following a March 11, 2017, Top 14 match. 

It is alleged they met up three young women at an English pub and they are accused of abusing one of them later that night in a hotel room in Merignac. 

The rugby players claim they took part in a sexual orgy that was freely consented to, an account refuted by the woman involved. 

The three players dispute that these acts were imposed by violence, threat, constraint or surprise.

In his order, the investigating judge has concluded that the analysis of the apparent behaviour of the student before, during and after the events occurred at the hotel attests that she was not able to express a free and informed consent, which could not escape the indictments. 

Coulson, 25, will be assisted by Corinne Dreyfus-Schmidt, of the Paris Bar, Grice, 29, will be defended by Philip Fitzgerald of the Toulon Bar and Jammes, 24, will be advised by Denis Dreyfus of the Bar of Grenoble. All three enjoy the presumption of innocence. 

The case for the prosecution will be represented by Anne Cadiot-Feidt of the Bordeaux Bar.

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