A man, identified as Massoud S, faced accusations of sexually assaulting six animals, resulting in the death of one, at an animal sanctuary in Pennes-Mirabeau near Marseille, France. During his trial at Aix-en-Provence courthouse, the 19-year-old denied all charges despite being caught by the police in a compromising position with a goat at Le Refuge d’un Moment animal sanctuary.
Despite DNA evidence linking him to the crimes and being apprehended during the alleged assault, the defendant maintained his innocence. He tried to justify his presence at the sanctuary by claiming he missed his train back to Marseille and had to stay overnight due to its proximity to the train station.
The animal sanctuary staff became suspicious after discovering injured animals with rope marks on their legs, vulva injuries, and signs of blood. Subsequently, CCTV cameras were installed, capturing a man’s silhouette multiple times, leading to the discovery of the abuse the next day.
Originally from Afghanistan, Massoud S claimed to have come to France in November 2025, following the loss of his family in wartime bombings, which significantly affected his mental well-being. Despite undergoing a psychiatric assessment where he downplayed the severity of his actions, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison, banned from French territory, and added to the register of sexual and violent offenders.
The sanctuary owner, Cassandra Sortino, expressed ongoing struggles in coping with the incident, stating, “We can’t explain it morally. We feel like we’ve failed.”