A man has suffered life-changing injuries after two of his colleagues allegedly injected air into his rectum.
Two Frenchmen appeared before a court in the Ardennes on Monday, charged with aggravated assault, after allegedly using a compressor to inject air into their co-workers backside.
The victim, a man in his thirties, suffered severe injuries and intestinal perforation, leaving him unable to work for over eight days, according to France 3.
The incident took place in October 2023 at a facility on the French-Belgium border which produces tools for the steel industry.
If convicted, the pair could face up to five years in prison after allegedly using an air compressor during the assault. They have already been dismissed by their employers after a disciplinary procedure.
Authorities initially launched an investigation into ‘mutilation’ and ‘permanent disability’ by ‘intentional assault’ in a group, before these charges were eventually dropped.
The company at the heart of the horror incident, AFS Sedan, has filed their own complaint but events on Monday means they could now also be held liable.
The criminal court in Charleville-Mézière decided to postpone the trial until June this year so AFS Sedan could be summoned to appear.
Among the gruesome consequences of the air injection was intestinal perforation, which is a hole in the wall of the small intestine or colon that allows the contents of the intestine to leak into the abdomen.
It causes severe abdominal pain or cramping, which in this case saw the victim signed off work for over eight days.
Air compressors take air from the environment and compress it into pressurised air, a process which is often used to power tools like air drills or produce tightly sealed packaging.
‘Last month, AFS Sedan’s management was urgently informed of a personal accident involving one of its employees while he was working at the plant. Our thoughts are with him and his family. This incident was not directly related to the performance of his duties. An external investigation is underway and will deliver its conclusions.’ the company stated in a press release at the time
Metro has approached AFS Sedan for comment.
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