Teen with 17 Aliases Sentenced for Violent Thefts in Angers, France

Despite the pleadings of his lawyer to demonstrate his minor status, the court decided to try him as an adult, reports courrierdelouest.fr.

The same source indicates that Hamza, who had celebrated his 18th birthday in May 2019, is known under 17 different identities. He is a young man born in Morocco but living in France without a family. His heavy criminal record testifies to the twelve convictions he has known for theft in groups, carrying weapons, receiving stolen goods, violence with a weapon.

After two violent thefts, he finds himself again before the French justice system. According to the facts, the first occurred on Friday, August 30 in the city center of Angers where Hamza had violently snatched a young man’s mobile phone. The second took place the same day on Rue de La Roë at 9:30 p.m. The repeat offender forcibly took another man’s chain and baptismal medal.

Faced with these repeated thefts, Me Jean-Noël Bouillaud, who defended the young man, argues in these terms: "He is either an old minor or a very young adult. He is in a logic of survival, aggravated by the fact that he is a consumer of drugs."

He would have preferred that his client not be tried. But Hamza was sentenced to one year in prison, including four months suspended and two years of probation. He will also compensate these two victims. The young Moroccan is already serving his sentence.