A 28 year-old French prostitute has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, following the theft of 160,000 euros worth of watches and jewellery from a Monaco resident. The sex-worker claims to have been handed the large haul as compensation, after the client could only muster 50 euros for her services, an amount five times smaller than the asking price, the Principality’s Palace of Justice heard.

Before the client was said to have enlisted the services of this prostitute, he had consumed consecutive drinks at the Fairmont, the Sass Cafe and Twiga on the night of Saturday, April 27. The next day, an 80,000 euro Rolex Daytona, a Chanel bag, 130,000 euros worth of Jewellery and 1,200 euros in cash had all disappeared from the apartment on avenue Crovetto-Frères.

The defendant arrived handcuffed to the stand of the court room and refuted the theft offence. Monaco-Matin report that the prostitute said “this person didn’t have enough cash to pay me. Just 50 euros: five times less! So I threatened to call the police if he didn’t pay the agreed amount. Obviously, to avoid trouble and especially if his friend found out about his infidelity, he gave me his watch and some jewellery so I would leave the place.”

However, the magistrate was less than impressed with constant variations in statements, and accused the defendant of taking advantage of her client’s state of intoxication. In turn, the defendant protested this accusation, claiming that the victim gave her the code to exit his apartment’s building. Within ten minutes of leaving she had already messaged a cousin in Benin with details concerning the contents of the haul, her defence; “I help my mother who lives in Africa…”

The civil party concerned is claiming 400,000 euros for all damages combined. In the end, the court will follow the requisitions of the public prosecutors request of a 12 month prison sentence and a five year ban from Monegasque soil. The matter of compensation for the damages will be decided at a civil interest hearing on Friday, June 21.

Featured image by Jack Brodie: the Palace of Justice