Violence in the workplace: an altercation between colleagues turns nasty

The victim, who works for the same company, described the attack as “totally gratuitous.“

An SMA machine operator was brought before Monaco’s court on 3 December 2024, in Menton, for an assault resulting in a six-day leave of absence. The incident occurred at 4am on 15 February. Mr C., angered by what he considered to be “poor workmanship,” allegedly verbally assaulted his colleague, Mr A., then pushing him by the shoulders with his hands. A witness at the scene spoke of a “strong shove.”

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“We had a disagreement.”

Mr C. tried to explain to the Chief Magistrate “I was having a bad day. I’d had some pretty tough jobs, some equipment was missing. I passed on the information, I was tired of the situation. I wanted it to stop. I became depressed, I’ve been working for 30 years. We had a disagreement. I refused to shake his hand and he insulted me.” Mr C. went on to explain: “I never meant to do any harm.” “I’ve apologised, I did what was required to avoid it coming to this.”

Mr A. gave his version: “I don’t know this gentleman very well, but there’s been a change. I went up to say hello and he replied: “No, get lost, I don’t feel like saying hello, go home, get lost,” gratuitously, I hadn’t done anything.” He continued: “He grabbed me by my clothes with both fists. He made me cry like a baby, Your Honour. I’ve never had a problem with the courts in France or in Monaco. I’ve got problems too, but I don’t take them out on my colleagues.” Mr A.’s lawyer insisted on the need for a sincere apology, describing the incident as “totally gratuitous violence.” The victim was not seeking financial compensation, just a euro, as a token settlement.

“He had a nervous breakdown”

Mr C.’s lawyer, Maitre Campana, stressed his client’s character and extenuating circumstances: “He does not have the wherewithal to answer you, to defend himself. He doesn’t express it very well, but his apology is sincere.” Maitre Campana described Mr C. as a hard worker who had been awarded the médaille d’honneur du travail (labour medal of merit) after a blemish-free 30-year career: “He is a hard worker who likes to see work done properly,” he explained, stressing the growing friction within the company’s different teams and the existence of a “generational rift.”

The lawyer also spoke of his client’s cumulative mental fatigue, exacerbated by a traumatic callout in April 2023. The accident in the Louis II tunnel caused the deaths of three women. After an evening out on the Larvotto, the vehicle crashed into the low wall of the Rainier III auditorium at 156 kph. Mr C. was called to the scene of the accident, where he had to pick up “human remains” without appropriate equipment. His vehicle was not carrying the equipment it should have, an oversight on the part of the earlier shift. “He had a nervous breakdown,” said Maitre Campana. The lawyer listed the steps taken by his client to cope and deal with his fragile condition: “He immediately sought treatment, with medication and visits to specialists. He recognised it was necessary. This is a one-off incident.” Mr C. was deeply moved by his lawyer’s plea, which was both compassionate and appreciative of his professional record. He broke down in tears during his final words on the stand, unable to contain his emotion as he recalled the events.

The prosecutor also put the incident into perspective, saying that the six days’ leave might seem excessive: “I don’t see any injuries. This is not a case of grievous bodily harm,” while reminding the court that Mr A. was the victim in the case.

The court found Mr C. guilty. He was fined 800 euros, ordered to pay a symbolic one euro to Mr A. and ordered to pay 800 euros in legal costs.