Ten people found guilty of cyber bullying Brigitte Macron with false transgender claims
Ten people have been found guilty of cyber bullying France's first lady, claiming she is a transgender woman.
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Eight men and two women aged between 41 and 60, were accused of posting numerous malicious and transphobic comments about Brigitte Macron's gender and sexuality.
Several defendants told the court their comments about Emmanuel Macron's wife were intended as humour or satire.
They said they did not understand why they were being prosecuted.
Mr and Ms Macron are also pursuing a US defamation lawsuit against the right-wing influencer Candace Owens, who has also claimed Ms Macron was born male.
Her daughter, Tiphaine Auziere, told the court about the "deterioration" of her mother's life as the online harassment intensified.
"She cannot ignore the horrible things said about her," she said.
She said the harassment impacted the entire family, including Ms Macron's grandchildren.
The defendants were given sentences ranging from cyber bullying awareness training to eight-month suspended prison sentences.
Some conspiracy theories falsely alleged Ms Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux - her brother's name.
Some defendants were accused of saying the 24-year age gap between Ms Macron, 72, and her husband Mr Macron, 48, to paedophilia.
The pair met at secondary school where he was a student and she was a teacher. They have been married since 2007.
This is a breaking story.