By not respecting the obligations imposed by their house arrest in their property in Giverny (Eure), the Balkany spouses “wanted to play with fire”, estimated Friday February 4 on franceinfo Dominique Puechmaille, the public prosecutor of Evreux, the day after the revocation of the placement under electronic bracelet of the couple. Sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion, Isabelle and Patrick Balkany had obtained a sentence adjustment. “In reality, they never wanted to respect this bracelet, the schedules, the obligations, the perimeter, etc. There were several reframings and hardly any improvements”.
franceinfo: What is blamed on the Balkany spouses?
Dominique Puechmaille: Very common violations. I don’t think they necessarily took this condemnation seriously. Is there psychological denial? I do not know. They did not take the execution of this sentence seriously either, despite the reminders that were sent to them fairly regularly by the sentence enforcement judge. Mr. Balkany focuses on the fact that it rang when he left the perimeter to get mail. There is not just that. In reality, they never wanted to respect this bracelet, the schedules, the obligations, the perimeter, etc. There have been several cropping and hardly any improvements.
Were there also outrageous remarks?
Yes, on the part of the Balkany spouses with regard to the integration and probation service, even with regard to the sentence enforcement judge. Inappropriate talk, punching the table, that sort of thing. I don’t know if they are aware of the realities.
Is the couple also accused of not having made an effort to settle their tax debt?
They were convicted of tax evasion, so the sums due to the tax authorities are due and they were asked, as part of a sentence adjustment, to make efforts to repay this debt. These efforts have not been made. There were ridiculous payments compared to the couple’s debt and lifestyle. They didn’t want to understand, they wanted to play with fire. After a while, we get burned. The law is the same for everyone, when one commits an offence, one has been sentenced for this offence, one has used the means of appeal and the sentence is final, it must be carried out. Obviously our fellow citizens would not understand that, because they are known people, they have the right to evade taxes.