A French court has found 72-year-old Dominique Péliko guilty of committing rapes under aggravating circumstances, as well as all other charges brought against him.
According to the AP agency, the verdict was announced on Thursday, December 19, by Chief Judge Roger Arata in the Avignon court. Péliko, along with 49 other defendants, faced trial for rape and attempted rape, with a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Péliko admitted that for several years, he drugged his wife so that he and men he found online could sexually assault her. He filmed the entire abuse.
This case has become part of a broader discussion in the country about potential changes to rape laws, including the recognition of the necessity of consent for sexual acts. At the end of November, a large protest against gender-based violence and sexual crimes was held in Paris.
