Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy faced a challenging first night in prison, where he was reportedly mocked for his height and subjected to verbal attacks from other inmates.

Sarkozy, who is serving time at the high-security La Santé prison in Paris, was placed under police protection after enduring what was described as a “frightening” evening. During the incident, a fellow prisoner even appeared to record himself issuing threats.

In response to the situation, two police officers have been stationed in the cell next to Sarkozy’s, according to recent reports.

The former leader began his sentence on Tuesday after being convicted of conspiring to receive illicit funds from the late Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

Video footage from the prison showed inmates hurling insults, calling Sarkozy “Little Nikola,” in reference to his height of just under 5 feet 5 inches.

The person filming could be heard laughing as others shouted phrases like “Call Sarko!” and “Show us your head!”

The other prisoners are said to be trying to keep Sarkozy up all night in his cell, which has a window looking directly out on to the prison yard.

Police officers now stationed round-the-clock next door to Sarkozy would have heard the nocturnal shouts too.

The disgraced French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy spent his first night in prison being mocked for his height and screamed at by fellow inmates

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy left their Paris home on Tuesday as he went to prison to serve time for a criminal conspiracy to finance his 2007 election campaign with funds from Libya

One of the senior prison guards said there was widespread anger among staff at them being there.

He explained: ‘We are all highly professional officers, and do not need support from police.

‘Mr Sarkozy is in his own cell, where he is perfectly safe. He sleeps, eats and showers there, and only goes out for an hour a day to walk.’

But Laurent Nuñez, France’s Interior Minister, said he had decided to send two policemen into the prison to look after Sarkozy.

He said on Wednesday: ‘It’s a decision by the Minister of the Interior. I’m responsible for the security of high-ranking officials.

‘It’s a decision aimed at ensuring his safety, in addition to everything else implemented by the prison administration.

‘The former President of the Republic has a protection system in place given his status and the threats he faces.’

Within hours of Sarkozy being incarcerated, another video appeared online in which an apparent fellow inmate shouts: ‘We know everything, Sarko… we know everything. Give back the billions of dollars.’ 

In a video which circulated online following Nicolas Sarkozy being taken to jail in Paris, a fellow inmate appears to be shouting threats to the former president from his cell

Sarkozy was incarcerated on Tuesday, following a five-year sentence for conspiring to accept laundered cash from the late Libyan dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi

On Wednesday, a source at France’s Interior Ministry confirmed they had ordered two officers from the VIP Protection Service, the SDLP, to occupy the ‘cell next door to the former president’s for 24 hours a day.’

This led to Éric Ciotti, president of Sarkozy’s conservative party, The Republicans, expressing his concerns about death threats.

Mr Ciotti said: ‘It is completely legitimate that the security of a former President of the Republic be ensured everywhere, at all times, in all locations.

‘Especially since the threats against him will be much greater in the circles he finds himself in.

‘I saw images of him being threatened with death upon his arrival. His security must be guaranteed.

‘This incarceration is a terrible ordeal for his family. I think of the ordeal they are going through.’

Carla Bruni, Sarkozy’s third wife, has already spoken to him in prison, via a cell landline, lawyers for Sarkozy confirmed, saying his first night was ‘frightening’.

One of them, Jean-Michel Darrois, explained: ‘I saw him in the visiting room, we stayed together for a long time.

‘He is the man everyone knows – strong, dynamic, a fighter. He has brought two books to read: The Count of Monte Cristo (the novel by Alexandre Dumas) about revenge, and The Life of Jesus Christ, about the resurrection.’

The video posted online refers to Sarkozy, and also to Ziad Takieddine, a former Lebanese arms dealer who died in mysteriously circumstances earlier this year while on the run from accusations that he was the middle man between Gaddafi and Sarkozy.

An unidentifed inmate in La Santé shouts: ‘Sarko, he’s right there, in an isolated area.

‘He’s all alone in his cell. He just arrived, Tuesday, October 20, 2025 – he’s going to have a bad time.

‘Right next to it, there’s solitary confinement below – it’s solitary confinement, he’s just above.

‘And we know everything – we’re going to avenge Gaddafi. We know everything, Sarko, Ziad Takieddine, we know everything. Give back the billions of dollars.’

It was in 2011 that RAF and French Air Force jets led the mass bombing campaign that ended with Gaddafi being hacked to death by a mob.

David Cameron was British Prime Minister at the time, and visited Libya with Sarkozy.

There have been claims that Sarkozy wanted his old friend and ally dead because of his potential to produce incriminating evidence.

Sarkozy kissed former supermodel Carla Bruni goodbye outside their £5milllion Paris town house on Tuesday morning before he was driven to La Santé.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy kisses his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy before leaving in a car on the day of his incarceration at the La Santé prison

He was checked into the notorious jail at 9.40am, as other inmates mocked him by chanting ‘Welcome Sarko!’ and ‘Sarkozy’s here!’.

Sarkozy was found guilty of accepting millions in illegal cash from Gaddafi, so as to win office for five years, between 2007 and 2012.

He is currently serving a five year term, but has also been convicted for two earlier offences, while facing further criminal enquiries.

Those who have spent time at La Santé – which means Health – include notorious terrorists and armed robbers such as Carlos the Jackal (Illich Ramírez Sanchez) and armed robber, Jacques Mesrine.

Sarkozy is now the first French head of state to go to a prison cell since Marshall Philippe Pétain, the wartime Nazi collaborator.

Sarkozy will spend most of his time alone in a 29-foot-square cell equipped with a shower, bed, small desk, a landline phone, and TV, which will cost him the equivalent of £13 a month to watch.

He will be allowed one solitary walk a day alone, in a small yard, but will not have a mobile phone.

Sarkozy used to be Interior Minister in France, when his tough policies gained him the nickname ‘Le Top Cop’.

He once claimed that young offender ‘scum’ on housing estates should be ‘blown away with a power hose’.

Such a background makes him an extremely vulnerable prisoner.

Christophe Ingrain, another Sarkozy lawyer, said he was appealing against having to go to prison, but it will be at least a month before the appeal is heard.

Mr Ingrain said: ‘He is taking it upon himself to ensure that no one can feel the indignation and anger he feels at suffering this injustice. Humanly, this is an extremely difficult ordeal.’

Sarkozy has also been found guilty of trying to bribe a judge, and illicit campaign funding, following separate trials.

Carla Bruni is herself accused of being part of a £4million campaign dubbed ‘Operation Save Sarko’ – a complex and illegal plan to try to keep her husband out of jail.

She has been charged with a range of corruption offences, including ‘witness tampering in an organised gang’, and could be imprisoned for a up to 10 years if found guilty in a separate trial.

Like her husband, Ms Bruni denies any wrongdoing.