An executive assistant by the name of Sophie F. has claimed in the criminal case that her working relationship with the 'Taken' filmmaker turned sour after she was granted medical leave in 2017.
- Nov 30, 2019
AceShowbiz - A French prosecutor has recommended filmmaker Luc Besson be handed a 10-month suspended prison sentence in the criminal case surrounding the firing of his former assistant.
The star's executive assistant, known a Sophie F., joined his company EuropaCorp in 2015, but was fired for "serious misconduct" in January 2018.
She alleges their working relationship went sour after she was granted medical leave after collapsing back in 2017 - a leave she insists was recommended by four doctors.
Sophie also claims she was refused three days of vacation over a French holiday in 2017, but EuropaCorp reportedly considered the reasons behind the work stoppage as "fraudulent" and designed to allow Sophie to take days off in an "irregular" manner.
The court in the Paris suburb of Bobigny considered the fragmented working relationship at a hearing on Wednesday, November 27, allegedly including "requests by SMS on her personal phone at night, on weekends and during her holidays," with "tasks relating to (Besson and his family's) private life", according to France Info.
In a separate case, the plaintiff previously won a ruling of "moral harassment" against Besson.
Subsequently, prosecutor Remi Chaise described Besson as a "tyrannical personality" who placed his assistant "in a state of permanent subjection", while Sophie described herself as having become Besson's "slave".
The defendant's attorney, Arnaud de Senilhes, however, has insisted the dismissal was not related to his employee's sick leave, and called the request for a suspended prison sentence and fines of $88,028 (£68,275) "out of proportion".
The court's decision as to sentencing will be announced on January 8.
The news comes after a new judicial investigation into an alleged rape by Besson was opened in October (2019), brought by actress Sand Van Roy.
