‘No hope’ for actress beaten into coma

A FRENCH rock star suspected of beating his actress girlfriend into a coma was remanded in custody yesterday after the victim’s mother told a judge she hated him.

Director Nadine Trintignant and her film star husband Jean-Louis now face the agonising decision of how long to keep their daughter on life support.

Surgeons have said there is “no hope” for 41-year-old Marie, who has been in a deep coma since being assaulted at a hotel in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on Sunday.

Her boyfriend, Bertrand Cantat, the 39-year-old lead singer of the French band Noir Desir (Black Desire), appeared in court for the first time yesterday.

Nadine Trintignant, who had been directing a film in Lithuania starring her daughter, made an emotional appeal to the judge that he should be held in custody while police investigate the incident.

“Hatred is a negative feeling,” she said. “But I cannot help feeling it after these terrible deeds Cantat did to my daughter.”

Cantat was arrested on Tuesday on “suspicion of causing bodily injury”.

Police identified Cantat as a suspect shortly after the alleged assault at the hotel in the capital Vilnius where Trintignant was staying with her mother, son and Cantat.

Local media have quoted doctors as saying Cantat’s hand showed signs of bruising and that broken vases and chairs were strewn about the hotel room where the attack supposedly took place.

Authorities said it could take days or weeks before they decide whether to charge Cantat formally.

They have refused to comment on possible charges.