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Two jailed for killing French bus driver over Covid mask rule

Prosecutors said bus driver was set upon after asking a small group of men on his bus to show their tickets and adjust face-masks they were wearing over their chins.

La rédaction de Mediapart

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Two men have been jailed after beating a French bus driver to death after he asked them to get off for not correctly wearing face masks during the pandemic, reports the BBC.

Wyssem Manai and Maxime Guyennon left Philippe Monguillot beside the bus with serious head injuries in the city of Bayonne in south-west France in 2020.

Manai and Guyennon, were jailed for 15 and 13 years respectively on Thursday.

The pair, both aged 25, were convicted of intentional violence resulting in death without intent to kill.

Prosecutors said Mr Monguillot was set upon after asking a small group of men on his bus to show their tickets and adjust face-masks they were wearing over their chins.

The attack on the evening of 5 July 2020 occurred after the end of France's first Covid lockdown, when masks were mandatory on all public transport.

In an ensuing confrontation, Mr Monguillot was kicked and punched and his head hit the pavement as he fell.

The 59-year-old father of three died after five days in hospital.

Read more of this report from the BBC.