Six teenagers convicted in connection with beheading of French teacher Samuel Paty in 2020

8 December 2023, 21:02 | Updated: 8 December 2023, 21:10

Six teenagers were convicted for their roles in the teacher's death.
Six teenagers were convicted for their roles in the teacher's death. Picture: Alamy

By Jenny Medlicott

Six teenagers have been found guilty in connection with the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty in France.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Mr Paty had shown his class cartoons of the prophet of Islam during a debate on free expression.

Mr Paty, aged 47 at the time, was killed outside his school in 2020.

The attacker, Abdullah Anzorov, an 18-year-old Chechen refugee, was shot dead by police soon after the incident.

Five of the six teenagers on trial, aged between 14 and 15 at the time, stood accused of identifying the teacher to the attacker and helping monitor his exit from school.

They were all students at Mr Paty’s school.

The teenagers testified at a Paris juvenile court that they did not know Mr Paty would be killed.

Another defendant, 13 at the time, was found guilty of lying about the classroom debate.

She told her parents that Mr Paty had asked Muslim pupils to leave the class before showing the images, but it later emerged that she was not in the class and went on to tell investigators she had lied.

Read more: Woman, 23, cried ‘just shoot me in the head’ during arrest after ‘killing boyfriend with car’ in party row, court hears

Read more: Boy, 16, arrested on suspicion of murder of mother-of-two shot dead in Hackney

Six teenagers were convicted for their roles in connection to Mr Paty's death.
Six teenagers were convicted for their roles in connection to Mr Paty's death. Picture: Alamy

Her father shared a video online calling for mobilisation against Mr Paty based on the false information from his daughter. He is one of eight adults who will face a separate trial next year.

He and a radical Islamic activist helped share messages against Mr Paty online which aggravated online anger against the teacher.

The five teenagers who identified Mr Paty to the attacker were convicted of involvement in a group preparing aggravated violence.

All of the teenagers, who cannot be named due to French laws regarding minors, were handed brief or suspended prison terms and will have to stay in school or work for the duration of their terms.

The sentences vary from 14 months to two years and are all suspended or commuted.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Conor McGregor has been accused of raping and choking a woman in a Dublin hotel

Conor McGregor accused of raping and choking woman after snorting cocaine

The ex-Manchester City footballer married Stephen Darby in 2018, a few months before he was diagnosed with the condition

Ex-Lioness captain Steph Houghton reveals husband's 'life-changing' operation amid MND battle

Underground train, Barbican Tube Station, Smithfield, England, United Kingdom

Tube drivers call off planned London Underground strikes after improved pay offer

Playa de los Pocillos puerto del carmen Lanzarote, Canary Islands, spain

British tourist, 34, found dead on beach in Lanzarote

Trump and Harris go head to head

US Election night guide: What time do polls close and who is favourite to win?

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had only just turned 12 when he took part in the violent disorder

Britain's youngest rioter: Boy who had just turned 12 sentenced for involvement in violent disorder

The 170-metre red bridge over wetlands in Canada Water, south-east London, opened last week

Security guards to stop cyclists from using bright red ‘wildlife boardwalk’ at £3.3bn London housing development

Rubert Gispin was visiting flood-hit parts of his native Valencia

Spanish influencer defends ‘shameful’ decision to deliberately cover himself in mud in Valencia’s flood damaged streets

Sara Sharif's father denies murdering the 10-year-old.

Father claims he begged to save Sara Sharif before being told ‘Leave it, she’s dead’

Queen Camilla is unwell with a chest infection and has withdrawn from her engagements this week

The Queen withdraws from engagements this week after being taken ill, Buckingham Palace announces

Tesco customers are furious after being forced to wait hours to book a Christmas delivery slot.

'It's like getting Beyonce tickets': Fury as Tesco shoppers face 'ridiculous' online queues for Christmas delivery slots

Ladbaby has broken its silence on historic allegations of gripping.

Charity chart-topper Ladbaby breaks his silence on 'groping' allegations

Labour MP Chris Webb 'attacked and mugged' near London flat by phone snatching gang

Labour MP Chris Webb 'attacked and mugged' near London flat by phone snatching gang

The White House has been barricaded and restaurants and stores boarded up as tensions rise over the election.

Washington DC braces for unrest as White House is barricaded and stores boarded up ahead of US election

Sir Chris Hoy said 'if you're over the age of 45, go and ask your doctor' for screening

Sir Chris Hoy calls for men to be offered prostate cancer screening from the age of 45 after his terminal diagnosis

Kamala Harris went door-knocking in Pennsylvania on the night before the election

Kamala Harris surprises residents in Pennsylvania as she goes door-knocking in final bid to win votes