Champions League night ends in court: Turkish father and son attacked Monaco princess's son
Following the match where Galatasaray lost 1-0 to Monaco in the Champions League, a fight in the VIP stands has been taken to court over allegations that Louis Ducruet, the son of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, was assaulted; two Turkish fans were given suspended prison sentences and banned from entering Monaco.
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Galatasaray was the guest of Monaco on Tuesday night for the 6th week of the Champions League. While the yellow-red team left the match with a 1-0 defeat, the events that took place after the match caused a wide stir in the French and Monégasque press.
The French-language newspaper NiceMatin reported that a Turkish father and son, who came to Monaco to watch the match and normally reside in Paris, assaulted 33-year-old Louis Ducruet, the son of Princess Stéphanie Marie Elisabeth Grimaldi of Monaco.
ALLEGATION OF ATTACK IN THE VIP STAND
According to the information in the report, Selman B. and his father Hasan B. had an argument with Ducruet and two of his friends in the VIP stand of the Stade Louis II after the match. It was stated that as the argument escalated, the son of Princess Stéphanie and those with him were assaulted. Following the incident, the two Turkish nationals were taken into custody by police teams.
The allegation of an attack on the Grimaldi family quickly rose to the top of the agenda in Monaco, one of the smallest countries in Europe. The father and son, who spent one night in custody, were referred to court the next day and arrested.
STATEMENT FROM THE COURT
Monaco Criminal Court President Florestan Bellinzona stated in his remarks at the hearing that Ducruet and his friends were attacked while they were going to the restroom after the match. It was also noted in court that there was no video footage of the moment of the incident.
“I FEARED FOR MY LIFE”
Testifying in court, Ducruet described what he experienced with these words:
“I feared for my life. If I had taken that punch, I could have collapsed to the ground and been knocked out. I was afraid of being lynched.”
Hasan B. and Selman B., on the other hand, argued that they did not start the tension, claiming that what happened was merely a scuffle.
THEY WERE RELEASED
The Monaco Court sentenced the two Turkish Galatasaray fans to 2 months of suspended imprisonment. Furthermore, Hasan B. and Selman B. were banned from entering Monaco for 3 years. The father and son were ordered to pay 1,000 euros in compensation to each of the three victims separately.
The two individuals, who were released after the verdict was announced, returned to France where they reside.