French rock star Bertrand Cantat was today found guilty of beating his movie-star girlfriend to death and sentenced to eight years in prison.
The lead singer (40) of one of France's most popular bands, Noir Desir, was charged with manslaughter for killing French actress Marie Trintignant (41) in a hotel room in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, last July.
The three-judge panel at the Vilnius District Court could have handed Cantat a maximum 15-year sentence.
The love affair between the two artists was once the focus of public fascination in France. Ms Trintignant, who starred in more than 30 French and several English-language films, was in Lithuania making a film when the two had the fatal dispute in their hotel.
During the trial, Cantat admitted he tussled with Ms Trintignant, but insisted her death was a tragic accident. "We loved each other and our love was growing," he told the court as he was questioned by judges.
The multi-millionaire singer, held in a Lithuanian prison since his arrest eight months ago, told judges he slapped Ms Trintignant four times in a drunken stupor - contradicting prosecutors who said he fatally punched her at least 19 times in a jealous rage.
An ambulance was called to the hotel at around 7.30 a.m., by which time Ms Trintignant had already been in a coma for two hours. While still in a coma and on life support, she was flown by private jet days later to France - where she died on August 1st.
Cantat did not enter a clear not guilty plea, something that is not required in the Baltic state's judicial system.