A Muslim teenager who took part in the religiously motivated gang rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl has had his sentence reduced.
The rapist, 13 at the time, was one of two teenage boys who committed the crime in Courbevoie on June 15 last year.
But last week, the Versailles Court of Appeal lowered the sentence from nine years to seven, citing the need to prepare the youth for "reintegration" into society.
His lawyer, Melody Blanc, said: "The court took into account the entire case as provided for by law: the facts, their seriousness but also the personality of the minor and the need to prepare for future reintegration."
The attack occurred when the girl was walking home and was ambushed by three boys.
She was forced to perform sex acts on two of the attackers while they threatened to kill her.
Her ex-boyfriend held a lighter to her face and threatened to burn her cheek, then attempted to make her sit on her handbag after setting it alight.
The victim's mother told Le Parisien that one attacker asked her daughter: "I know you're not Muslim… So, what religion are you?"
The Versailles Court of Appeal lowered the rapist's sentence from nine years to seven on November 18
|GETTY
The boys called her a "dirty Jew" before filming the assault.
After the rape, they demanded she convert to Islam and made her swear on Allah to remain silent about the attack.
The original trial took place over three days at Nanterre juvenile court in June 2025, with the victim present throughout proceedings.
Two boys received prison sentences of seven and nine years for gang rape of a minor under 15 based on religion.
CRIME ABROAD - READ MORE:
A third attacker, who was under 12 at the time of the assault, could not face criminal prosecution and was sent to an educational facility for five years.
The presiding judge said the harsh sentences reflected "their concerning personality traits and the immense social disturbance to society and [to the victim] and because of what she was: a young girl of the Jewish faith."
The judge added: "There is no doubt that [the victim] would not have been assaulted or raped if she had not been Jewish."
The victim's legal representatives, Muriel Ouaknine-Melki and Oudy Bloch, said "the main thing is that she has managed to bring the perpetrators of her attack to justice and that two of them are imprisoned".
They praised "the courage of [their] client" in pursuing the case.
Speaking to CNews after the original sentencing, the girl explained her decision to report the crime.
"It's important for me to speak out because the very fact I spoke out meant he was quickly arrested and imprisoned," she said.
"By doing this, I protect myself and I protect others; so they cannot do this to others."
More From GB News