Rape-accused French man lands in jail after 17 yrs

PARIS: A French man has been sentenced to 30 years in jail on abduction and rape charges.

Issuing a verdict on a high-file profile trial concerning abduction, rape and murdering of a 24-year-old bank manager in 2002, France’s court slapped Willy Bardon with a 30-year jail term.

But Elodie’s father continued the search and advances in DNA techniques had led to the trial of Bardon.

Despite a huge inquiry at the time, the trail had gone cold.

Elodie Kulik was abducted, raped and then murdered when she was heading home from a restaurant in January 2002.

Her partly charred body was discovered by a farmer on a disused airfield at Tertry on 12 January.

The bank manager worked in the northern town of Péronne.

(Agencies)