“The aggravating circumstance of anti-Semitism has been confirmed by the Court of assizes”.

A French Court near Paris has sentenced nine people guilty of the violent kidnapping of a Jewish family to sentences ranging from four to twelve years in prison.

The Assize Court in Seine-Saint-Denis is competent to judge the most serious offenses classified under French penal code as ” crimes.”

The heaviest sentence, twelve years imprisonment, was given to the leader of the trio of assailants who attacked Mireille Pinto, 75, her husband Roger, 85 and an influential figure in the Jewish community, as well as their 52- year- old son on 8 September 2017.

The thugs had threatened them with a knife and a screwdriver, beaten them and held them for several hours, while their house in Livry-Gargan, near Paris, ws turned upside down in search of a hypothetical loot.

They only found 500 euros in cash but left with credit cards, jewellery, some of which was torn from the neck of the septuagenarian, and even cutlery.

The other two burglars were sentenced to 8 and 7 years in prison.

The man considered to be the main instigator was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Lesser sentences of four years or more were handed down to an accomplice and the four fences.

The defence lawyer did not wish to comment on the decision, but indicated that her clients would not appeal.

“The aggravating circumstance of anti-Semitism was confirmed by the court of assizes, which will set a precedent. This is a victory for the law,” said Marc Bensimon, lawyer for the Pinto family.

In her closing statement, the prosecutor had blasted this “Robin Hood” mindset, which contains “a very clear prejudice that +Jew = money”, denying the “working life” of this elderly couple, and now traumatized.