A trial has begun in France against surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec, who is accused of sexually abusing 299 patients, most of whom were children.
The court is reviewing crimes committed between 1989 and 2014, when the victims—158 boys and 141 girls—were, on average, 11 years old. The investigation found that the abuse lasted for nearly 30 years and is documented in the defendant’s personal diaries.
During a court hearing in Vannes, 74-year-old Le Scouarnec admitted to committing “heinous acts” but insisted that he does not remember all the cases. If found guilty, the former surgeon faces up to 20 years in prison, in addition to the 15-year sentence he is already serving after being convicted in 2020 of raping and sexually assaulting children. Some victims have no memory of the attacks, as they were unconscious during medical procedures. One victim, now in his 30s, testified that he was assaulted during a consultation in 1995 when he was a young boy.
The trial is taking place amid a broader public discussion about sexual violence in France. The recent case of Gisèle Pélissier, who was drugged and raped in an abuse ring organized by her husband, has drawn significant attention. Her ex-husband and dozens of men were convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 to 20 years.
