A French hunter who fatally shot a British cyclist in the French Alps in 2018 has been sentenced to one year in prison. Marc Sutton, 34, originally from Wales, was killed while cycling down a popular route near his home in Haute-Savoie.
Lucas Clerc, 24, admitted firing the rifle shot that killed Sutton, claiming he had aimed at a wild boar. He received a total sentence of four years, with three suspended, and was banned from owning a gun for five years and from hunting for ten.
The court heard that Clerc and two other hunters, including the father of one, altered hunting logs and put up warning signs after the incident to conceal their presence and suggest safety measures had been taken. They received suspended sentences of six to 18 months for concealing evidence.
Prosecutors highlighted multiple safety failures by the hunting party, including failing to put up warning signs, not nominating a hunt leader, and hunting within 500 feet of homes. Investigators noted that Sutton was wearing high-visibility clothing and visibility was good at the time.
Sutton, who owned two restaurants with his partner Jo Watts, was described as a 'kind, happy, loving man'. The victim's family lawyer called the hunters 'pathetic and pitiful' but deemed the sentence 'balanced in the circumstances'.
