Judge who is sending Marie Le Pen to prison and banned her from standing in French elections is under armed police guard after receiving ‘personal threats’

The judge who sentenced Marine Le Pen to prison and banned her from standing to become the new French President was under armed police guard tonight following ‘clearly expressed personal threats’.

Far-Right supporters of the 56-year-old National Rally politician were on Monday believed to have targeted anti-corruption magistrate Bénédicte de Perthuis, 63.

A police source told Le Parisien that Judge De Perthuis had received ‘a large number of messages containing clearly expressed personal threats.’

The news outlet added: ‘As a result, the police presence has been increased near her home.’

The two other judges who made up the professional jury at the Paris Correctional Court have also been threatened, said the source.

Le Pen and more than 20 other party officials were on Monday found guilty of stealing millions of pounds worth of tax payers’ money from the European taxpayer.

They did this over at least a decade while they were MEPs working in the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg.

Rather than spend the money on their European roles, they used it to fund the National Rally (NR) in Paris.

The judge who sentenced Marine Le Pen (pictured) to prison and banned her from standing to become the new French President was under armed police guard tonight

Le Pen and more than 20 other party officials were on Monday found guilty of stealing millions of pounds worth of tax payers’ money from the European taxpayer

Judge Petrius handed down the controversial judgement against Le Pen following a trial last year for ‘embezzlement of public funds’.

Le Pen was sentenced to four years in prison, with two suspended, and also barred from running in elections for the next five years.

Although Le Pen is now appealing, she is unlikely to stand to become President of France in 2027, despite being a favourite to replace Emmanuel Macron, who has to stand down after serving the maxium two terms allowed.

Le Pen appeared on French TV on Monday night and said the judgement was a ‘political decision’ and that she would fight it.

She accused Judge De Perthuis of ‘wanting to prevent me from running and being elected in the presidential election,’ and ‘violating the law’.

But in a statement released on Monday, Jacques Boulard, the First President of the Paris Court of Appeal, called for ‘respect for the judicial system’.

Judge Boulard deplored ‘numerous comments but also, particularly on social media, personal attacks against the three judges who make up the collegial body.’

He expressed his ‘deep concern’ and said that in a democratic state governed by the rule of law, criticism of a court decision can under no circumstances be expressed through threats against judges.’

France’s Justice Minister, Gérald Darmanin, also said the threats were ‘worrying for the independence of the judicial authority.’

Matteo Salvini, Italy’s hard-right deputy prime minister likened Le Pen’s exclusion from political life to similar situations occurring in other countries such as Romania

Eric Ciotti, the former president of centre-right republicans said: ‘The democratic destiny of our nation confiscated by an outrageous judicial cabal’

The leader of France’s National Rally (RN) Jordan Bardella, attends the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism in Jerusalem, Israel, Thursday, March 27, 202

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the barring of the National Rally leader from public office as a ‘trend’

National Rally president Jordan Bardella is among those who have called for demonstrations against the court decision.

He wrote on Twitter X on Monday: ‘Today it is not only Marine Le Pen who was unjustly condemned – it was French democracy that was killed.’

Even some of Le Pen’s political opponents attacked the decision, with former presidential candidate Éric Zemmour writing: ‘It is not for judges to decide who the people must vote for. Whatever our disagreements, Marine Le Pen is legitimate to present herself for the vote.’

Internationally, those who have attacked the judgement include U.S. presidential adviser Elon Musk.

He said on Monday: ‘When the radical left can’t win via democratic vote, they abuse the legal system to jail their opponents.This is their standard playbook throughout the world.’

Mr Musk, one of President Donald Trump’s closest aides, has backed Far-Right causes across the world, while the White House has become increasingly critical of European democracy. 

Marie Le Pen was last night dining in a private room upstairs at Laurent restaurant in Paris – scene of Kate Moss’s infamous 50th birthday celebrations a couple of years ago.

The leader is spending the evening with supporters and friends.

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk