[Politics] Serial killer's ex-wife Monique Olivier 'sorry' for student's murder

[[X]pErT-]

Monique Olivier had previously said her role was to "reassure" victims

By Steve Knibbs, Dickon Hooper & Dawn Limbu

BBC News, Paris

The ex-wife of a serial killer has apologised over the death of a British student who was kidnapped and murdered.

 

Joanna Parrish from Gloucestershire was 20 when she was kidnapped from Auxerre in 1990.

 

Monique Olivier, who is already serving a life sentence, is in court over her death, alongside another murder and kidnap.

 

Olivier added that she regretted not intervening in Ms Parrish's death saying she "deserved to live".

 

Her ex-husband Michel Fourniret, who was convicted for the murders of seven girls and young woman between 1987 and 2001, died in prison in 2021.The trauma of Ms Parrish's death has remained with her parents

Ms Parrish's parents, Roger Parrish and Pauline Murrell, were not in court to hear Olivier's apology.

 

"I understand that it was a monstrosity what we did. It's unforgiveable. If I had a daughter, I wouldn't forgive," she said at the Cour d'Assise in Paris on Tuesday.

 

"It is horrible. She was beautiful. I regret it. She didn't deserve that. I am sorry"

 

Giving evidence at the trial on Monday, Mr Parrish said Ms Parrish was a "kind, conscientious and exceptional" woman whose life was "cruelly ended by a narcissistic psychopath and her female partner".

 

He said the pain has never subsidized in the 33 years that have passed.

 

The president of the court, Didier Safar said Monique Olivier has lied and contradicted herself, and has not always answered the numerous questions put to her.Joanna Parrish's body was found in the Yonne River in France in 1990

The crimes date back to 1988 in the case of Marie-Angele Domece, who disappeared aged 18 from Auxerre, and 1990 for Miss Parrish.

 

The third charge facing Olivier is for complicity in the 2003 disappearance of nine-year-old Estelle Mouzin, whose body has never been found.

 

Fourniret, who was jailed for life in 2008, confessed to the crimes in relation to Ms Parish and Ms Domece in 2018, but died before he could face justice.

 

Olivier had previously told the court her role was to reassure the victims.

 

She said she did not know where the bodies of Ms Domece and Ms Mouzin are.

 

When shown a photo of Ms Domece at the court hearing, she said: "She should never have disappeared."Eric Mouzin, father of Estelle Mouzin, said it was a tough hearing

Estelle Mouzin's father was present at the court. He said Tuesday's hearing had been "tough".

 

"We are in a system where it's as if we don't speak about real people," he said, referring to the court proceedings.

 

"Didier Seban tried to bring Olivier back to her contact with people - by showing her their faces when they were alive, particularly Jo.

 

"And then to confront her with the pictures after the discovery of her body. We saw Olivier's reaction - she pushed it away."Ms Parrish posted an advert in a newspaper offering English lessons

Fourniret had met Ms Parrish through a newspaper advert where she was offering English lessons. Olivier said he had "stalked" her outside the school that she had been working in as part of her university degree course.

 

She said that Fourniret had planned to imprison her for several days before killing her.

 

Olivier said Ms Parrish may have been taken to her and Fourniret's house close by in St Cyr Les Colons.Michel Fourniret and Monique Olivier lived in St Cyr Les Colons

When asked about what had been said in court earlier, Didier Seban, the Parrish family lawyer, said: "it's painful for the families [and the] justice system hasn't put [time] into these cases."

 

Olivier had previously said she was afraid of Fourniret and told the court that she was "never anything more than the dog." who had to "obey".

 

She said she had "done nothing wrong" before she met Fourniret.

 

The court previously heard that in 1987 Olivier met Fourniret whilst he was in prison for sexual violence against women.

 

They exchanged around 200 letters and got married. Their son Selim was born in 1988.

 

The trial is expected to continue until 15 December..

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-67623186