20 Feb 2018

Seven New Caledonians jailed over 2016 St Louis violence

12:28 pm on 20 February 2018

The criminal court in New Caledonia has sentenced seven men to jail terms for their role in the violence along a main road south of Noumea in 2016.

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Photo: AFP

They have been given sentences of between two and eight years for firing at police officers, injuring about a dozen of them.

The men launched the attacks shortly after police shot and killed an unarmed escapee William Decoire in a stolen vehicle near St Louis.

The ensuing clashes cut links to the island's south for several days during which several dozen burnt cars were dumped on the road.

Last week, two of the convicts were given jail sentences in a separate trial for a range of offences, including threatening with arms, attempted armed robbery and blocking traffic.

A third defendant, who is still on the run, was given a five-year sentence.

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