Depardieu's sexual assault trial postponed after French star fails to appear in court

The trial of G érard Depardieu on sexual assault charges has been postponed until next year after the actor failed to appear in court yesterday, saying he was unwell.

- Kim Willsher

His lawyer Jérémie Assous had said the 75-year-old was "extremely affected" by ill health and that he had asked for the proceedings to be delayed until he could attend in person.

The health of the actor, who has had a quadruple heart bypass and has diabetes, had declined because of the stress caused by the hearing, the court heard, before it adjourned to consider the request for a delay.

Depardieu was also said to be incapable of remaining seated for six hours. Medical certificates from a cardiologist and an endocrinologist were produced, declaring that the actor was not in a fit state to appear.

Informed that one of the alleged victims had travelled 250 miles to be at the hearing, Assous said he had requested in a letter to the court last Thursday that the trial be postponed.

Lawyers for the two female plaintiffs deplored that they had been presented with a "fait accompli", and asked for the actor be examined by a court-appointed doctor and psychiatrist. Their request was refused.