Jacqueline Veyrac, the 80-year-old owner of the five-star Grand Hotel in Cannes and the ritzy seafront La Reserve restaurant in nearby Nice, was snatched on the street on October 24 2016, and bundled into the back of a van.
She was held bound and gagged for two days in the vehicle, which was parked on a quiet street, before being spotted by a passer-by and released.
The main suspect in the trial, held in the southern city of Nice, is Giuseppe Serena, former manager of La Reserve who allegedly bore a fierce grudge against Veyrac after she terminated his contract in 2009.
Serena is accused of ordering her abduction with a view to obtaining a ransom with which he hoped to open a new restaurant.
His suspected accomplices have designated the bankrupt Italian, who is also accused of an earlier kidnap attempt on Veyrac in 2013, as the mastermind of the operation.
Serena, who has been in pre-trial custody for over four years, denies the charges.
All 13 accused were present in the courtroom at the trial's opening. Veyrac was expected to attend on Thursday when she is due to testify.
Back in 2016, two masked men pounced on Veyrac as she was about to get into her SUV and shoved her into a stolen van driven by an accomplice.
One of the kidnappers threatened to kill her if she made any noise.
She was also forced to drink a sedative.
Veyrac tried to call for help and bang on the doors of the van but only succeed in wriggling free and making contact with a passerby on her second night in captivity.
Former British soldier Philip Dutton, 52, has admitted involvement in the kidnapping.
Dutton, who is also accused over the 2013 kidnap plot, demanded a £4.5 million (€5-million) ransom for Veyrac of which he intended keeping 10 per cent, with 50 per cent meant for Serena and the rest for other accomplices, investigators said.
Among the other defendants are former paparazzi-turned-private-detective Luc Goursolas, who is accused of fitting a tracking device to Veyrac's car, and three suspected gang members from a poor Nice neighbourhood, accused of carrying out the kidnapping.
Veyrac's late husband developed the Grand Hotel in Cannes, one of the palatial seafront establishments favoured by the international jet set during the annual Cannes film festival.
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
T20 World Cup Qualifier, Muscat
UAE FIXTURES
Friday February 18: v Ireland
Saturday February 19: v Germany
Monday February 21: v Philippines
Tuesday February 22: semi-finals
Thursday February 24: final
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Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Korean Film Festival 2019 line-up
Innocent Witness, June 26 at 7pm
On Your Wedding Day, June 27 at 7pm
The Great Battle, June 27 at 9pm
The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, June 28 at 4pm
Romang, June 28 at 6pm
Mal Mo E: The Secret Mission, June 28 at 8pm
Underdog, June 29 at 2pm
Nearby Sky, June 29 at 4pm
A Resistance, June 29 at 6pm
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