Volkswacht Bodensee - French prosecutors widen sex assault probe against top news anchor

Former prime-time news presenter Patrick Poivre d'Arvor, 76, was in December indicted over the purported rape of writer Florence Porcel in 2009.

Investigators are now looking into claims of the rapes of two more women and a sexual assault of another committed between 2007 and 2018, which could lead to fresh charges, the prosecutor's office and a source close to the case said.

The ex-news anchor's lawyer was not immediately available for comment.

Investigators had looked into and dropped 19 other claims of sexual abuse or harassment against the journalist, the prosecutor's office said.

This was because they were either past the statute of limitations or happened prior to sexual harassment becoming a misdemeanour in 2018.

Porcel, 40, has accused Poivre d'Arvor of forcing her to perform oral sex in 2009.

She also accused him of rape in 2004, but that claim was deemed to be past the statute of limitations.

Poivre d'Arvor has through his lawyers "firmly contested" both those allegations.

France has been rocked by allegations of sexual abuse in recent months, mostly against top figures in the film sector.

D.Schaer--VB