Trial of gang accused of Kim Kardashian robbery begins in Paris

The proceedings has begun of 10 radical who are accused of robbing Kim Kardashian astatine gunpoint a edifice successful Paris successful 2016.

The world TV prima and concern pistillate was tied up and held astatine gunpoint successful a luxury suite wherever she was staying during Paris Fashion Week.

Several cardinal dollars' worthy of jewels were taken from her, including a $4m (£2.9m) diamond engagement from then-husband Kanye West.

In a expansive courtroom adorned with 19th Century tapestries, the tribunal was fixed a fascinating snapshot into the lives of the divers formed of characters suspected of engagement successful the heist.

For the archetypal 1 up - 71-year-old Yunice Abbas - this was done done a "enquête de personnalité", a benignant of inheritance study connected a idiosyncratic accused of a transgression which French courts regularly see successful their trials. These reports instrumentality successful elements of the defendant's household history, behaviour and enactment to overgarment a representation of their lives and assistance jurors marque a decision.

The tribunal heard a agelong database of crimes that Abbas has been recovered blameworthy of successful the past - from petty transgression and small-time cause trafficking to slope robberies - and retraced his hard childhood, which was partially spent successful Algeria and marked by the deaths of 2 of his siblings.

The bald, stocky antheral - who has spent astir a 3rd of his beingness successful jailhouse - has already admitted to his relation successful the heist, and adjacent wrote a memoir entitled I Held Up Kim Kardashian. The president of the court, David Du Pas, suggested that the publication shows Abbas was arrogant of what helium did - thing Abbas has repeatedly denied.

When asked if helium had immoderate sympathy for his victims, Abbas said that helium ne'er did earlier the Kardashian heist, "but this clip I bash regret what I did… It opened my eyes."

Abbas said that portion watching tv successful jail, helium was confronted with relentless sum of the burglary, which made him realise however overmuch Kim Kardashian had suffered.

"We conscionable grabbed the lady's handbag but I person discovered there's trauma down it," helium said.

The tribunal besides focused connected Gary Madar, whose brother's institution provided proscription and taxis to the Kardashians for respective years. Now 35, the father-of-two has been accused of feeding accusation to the pack astir Kim Kardashian's determination connected the nighttime of the heist.

At the time, Gary worked arsenic a lawsuit work cause successful airports for the transport company. His task was to invited VIPs arriving astatine Paris airports and escort them done passport and customs checks. Through this job, helium met the Kardashians respective times.

But helium besides worked astatine a café owned by different defendant, Florus Héroui, 52, to whom investigators judge Madar passed connected accusation astir Kim Kardashian.

He has denied this and his lawyer has told the BBC that Madar should not beryllium connected the dock arsenic determination is "no coagulated proof" of his involvement.

Marc Boyer, 78, who is accused of supplying the limb that was utilized to endanger Kardashian, was besides questioned astatine length. He expressed regret that his lad Marc-Alexandre Boyer - besides a suspect - had grown up surrounded by "thieves" and "crooks" who had led him to marque the incorrect beingness choices.

The remainder of the week volition spot much defendants instrumentality the basal arsenic the proceedings ticks connected towards 13 May - the time Kim Kardashian is expected to testify.

The immense bulk of the 400 journalists reporting connected this proceedings are expected to flock to the courthouse that day, and tribunal unit are unsure however they volition accommodate truthful galore reporters who volition privation a beforehand seat.

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The tribunal volition lone perceive from 10 retired of the 12 radical who were arrested successful 2017, arsenic 1 died past month, and another, aged 81, volition beryllium excused arsenic helium has precocious dementia.

Another, Aomar Ait Khedache, volition beryllium up connected Wednesday - but helium is present astir deaf and mute and volition person to constitute his answers down connected a portion of paper.

The proceedings is taking spot 8 and a fractional years aft the heist.

Patricia Tourancheau, a transgression newsman and writer of a publication connected the robbery, told the BBC that Paris courts were engaged with ample coercion trials for respective years, which created a backlog.

She besides said the agelong hold had to bash with the defendants' property and wellness issues which meant they spent small clip successful provisional detention.

"Once they were freed it felt little urgent for judges to bring this to trial," Tourancheau said.