A prominent LGBTQ activist and former departmental election candidate in France has been charged with the sexual assault of a 4 year old disabled child.
Pierre-Alain Cottineau (32) is being investigated by authorities in Nuntez after videos of his alleged abuse of the child came to the attention of authorities.
Cottineau is a member of far-left political party La France insoumise from which he has now been expelled with a party spokesperson saying the charges against him were discovered “with horror”.
Known for his activism on behalf of the LGBT movement, Cottineau was elected president of The Rainbow Shelter (Le Refuge Arc-en-ciel) in 2018 before hosting it’s first “forum” for the purposes of combatting homophobia and transphobia.
The charge sheet includes charges specifically for “sexual assault, acts of barbarity and dissemination of child pornography images” in respect of the little girl, French media reports.
Le Journal de Dimanche reports that Cottineau admitted to the crimes.
A judge at Nantes judicial court is heading the investigation into the alleged charges of “rape with acts of torture or barbarism”, “sexual assault on a minor under 15 years of age by person having authority” and “recording, possession and dissemination of pornographic images of a minor”.
La Figaro reported that Cottineau admitted to having “paedophile inclinations” during his police custody.
The material allegedly came to light after a search of Cottineau’s home. It is alleged that he had filmed several abuse videos of the child who is reportedly “suffering from a significant disability” and shared the material through encrypted messaging apps such as Telegram.
After the material was discovered by Dutch investigators the French Minors Office (Ofmin) was contacted, which set in motion an investigation that led police to Cottineau.
The 4-year-old in question is reported to have been taken to a special paediatric unit in Nantes University Hospital.