Mickaël Falou Sentenced to 30 Years for Murder of Ex-Partner Sandra Pla
The court found Falou guilty of premeditated murder in a brutal 2021 attack, citing aggravating circumstances and systemic failures in protecting the victim.
- Sandra Pla, a 31-year-old mother, was murdered in July 2021 by her ex-partner, Mickaël Falou, who stabbed her 50 times at her home in Bordeaux, France.
- The court ruled the crime as premeditated, highlighting Falou's actions of hiding for hours before ambushing Pla upon her return from dropping off their child at school.
- Falou was sentenced to 30 years in prison with a minimum of two-thirds served, a verdict consistent with the prosecutor's recommendations.
- The prosecution emphasized systemic shortcomings in protecting Pla despite her prior harassment complaints, noting that current safety measures like emergency phones were unavailable at the time.
- The case underscores broader issues of domestic violence in France, with 122 women killed by partners or ex-partners in 2021, the same year as Pla's murder.
Sud Ouest 
Ouest-France 