(For anyone looking for my usual news about life in France please go to my new blog here.)

Yes, the paper has mentioned the Fourniret trial, and this week they are examining the case of a 14 year old Belgian girl. Fourniret approached her while she was waiting for a train.

He offered her money and the chance of a job at a bakers if she would get in his car and go to the next village with him.

She refused and he tried to drag her away. Fortunately she managed to escape and board her train. When he was arrested Fourniret admitted talking to her but denied offering money or using force.

On the same page, though, there was the story of another trial: a sixty year old woman accused of cutting off her partner's penis.

She claims that it was his dog who was the culprit because he always let it sleep with him. Indeed, the police found no trace of a suitable weapon nor the missing appendage but subsequent examination of the dog's faeces didn't show any sign that he had eaten it either.

Despite the fact that the apartment hadbeen cleaned, there was evidence of blood in various rooms, including the toilet so they suspect she flushed it down the loo.

The man doesn't remember how it happened because he was very drunk at the time. The woman called the ambulance and he was found, fully clothed and soaked in blood. The doctors did what they could to save his life but couldn't replace what was missing.

The man maintains that his dog could not be the guilty party because he 'only ever ate raw meat.'

He will not be present at the trial because he has been suffering severe psychological problems since the incident.