13 May 2016

New Caledonia minister sentenced

7:40 pm on 13 May 2016

A New Caledonian government minister, Anthony Lecren, has been given a suspended six-month jail sentence for assaulting his former partner last September.

New Caledonia politician Anthony Lecren.

New Caledonia politician Anthony Lecren. Photo: Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes

He has also been fined $US 450 for insulting a top police officer who had been called to the woman's house where Lecren had arrived and ended up in a fight with her.

The week before Lecren had been given a suspended two-month prison sentence for drink driving.

In January, the woman was singing in a bar with Lecren, saying she had retracted her complaint as they had a violent relationship.

The defence lawyer had pleaded for clemency, saying it was a love affair that turned out badly.