Volkswacht Bodensee - French court jails one in Brigitte Macron cyber-bullying trial

The relationship between Emmanuel Macron, 48, and Brigitte, 72, who met while she was a drama teacher at his school, has been the subject of intense interest since he became president in 2017.

Eight defendants were handed suspended terms of four to eight months, while a ninth man was sentenced to six months in jail over his absence from the hearing.

They and a tenth person were ordered to follow a course against hate speech online.

Presiding judge Thierry Donard described the claims of the French first lady's "alleged paedophilia" as "malicious, degrading and insulting", saying the defendants had received sentences for "intentionally harming the complainant".

In recent years scrutiny of the couple's relationship has extended to the widespread publication of false information which they have resolved not to ignore and instead combat in court.

The French president and first lady have filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States against right-wing US podcaster Candace Owens who falsely claimed the spouse of the French president used to be a man.

Emerging as early as Macron's election in 2017, the claims have been amplified by far-right and conspiracy theorist circles in France and in the United States, where transgender rights have become a hot-button issue at the heart of American culture wars.

D.Bachmann--VB