France convicts Roma families of forcing children to rob

AA French court on Friday convicted 26 members of three Croatian Roma families of forcing children to carry out more than 100 robberies in European countries, reports FRANCE 24.

The court in the eastern city of Nancy convicted all but one of the 27 accused, sentencing them to between two and eight years in prison.

Police had testified during the trial that the gang traded in women and used children like conscripts in a criminal army.

Judges did not however follow prosecutors' recommendations for some of the accused to face the maximum sentence of 10 years.

The court also dismissed charges of human trafficking against all but one of the accused, despite testimony that brides were being bought then renounced when they did not bring in enough money to the gang.

Read more of this AFP report from FRANCE 24.