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Ex-BBC producer sexually assaulted in France while working undercover to expose fashion industry abuse claims victory as country’s Senate votes to abolish ‘archaic’ 20-year limit on underage sex crime claim
Former BBC producer Lisa Brinkworth says a French Senate vote to remove the time limit for prosecuting sexual crimes against children is a landmark victory, after France’s previous rules prevented her adult assault allegation from being investigated. She alleges modelling executive Gérald Marie attacked her while she was working undercover on a 1998 BBC investigation into abuse in the fashion industry.
The Senate approved the change by 252 votes to 80, removing the limitation period for crimes against children; it does not apply to Brinkworth or other adult campaigners. She reported her allegation in 2020, two years beyond the former 20-year limit, and is continuing to campaign for the limit to be removed for adult victims. Marie’s lawyer has said an investigation into complaints against him was closed without further action.
In short
- France voted to remove time limits for child sex crime cases.
- The change does not cover adult victims such as Lisa Brinkworth.
- She is urging further reform for adult survivors.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Removing time limits for crimes against children can recognise that trauma, fear or dependence may delay disclosure, and that serious allegations should still be examined when survivors are ready to come forward. Supporters may see the Senate vote as a step towards accountability and a more survivor-centred justice system, while arguing for similar consideration of adult victims who also face barriers to reporting.
The case against
Time limits can protect fairness by reducing the risk of trials based on evidence that has deteriorated and memories that are difficult to test, particularly when allegations are made many years later. Critics may also argue that abolishing them risks treating very different cases alike and that any change should be carefully designed to preserve due process; the vote concerns crimes against children and does not alter the deadline that prevented Brinkworth’s adult allegation from being investigated.
Explained simply
France’s time limits for prosecuting sexual crimes have shaped whether allegations can be investigated years after they were reported. Lisa Brinkworth, a former BBC producer, says modelling executive Gérald Marie assaulted her in 1998 while she was working undercover on a programme about abuse in the fashion industry.
Brinkworth reported the allegation in 2020, after the 20-year limit that applied to her had expired. Marie’s lawyer has said an investigation into complaints against him was closed without further action.
The change approved by the Senate concerns crimes against children and does not cover adult victims such as Brinkworth. The debate matters because limitation periods can prevent authorities from pursuing allegations reported long after an incident, and Brinkworth is campaigning for the rules to change for adults too.
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