Parallels to Pelicot

Surgeon allegedly abused almost 300 children

These grandparents show photos of their abused grandchild.(Bild: AFP/Guillaume Souvant)

A surgeon in France is alleged to have sexually abused 299 children. His victims were on average eleven years old. There are parallels between this case and the trial of serial rapist Dominique Pelicot - for example, many of the victims were unconscious during the crimes.

In addition, like Pelicot, the surgeon kept careful records of his crimes and hoarded photos and videos. However, there is only one suspect and almost 300 victims. "The advantage of little girls is that you can attack them without them asking questions," wrote the now 74-year-old Joel Le Scouarnec in one of his diaries. He abused the older children when they were under anesthesia - on the operating table or in the recovery room. This included penetrations with his finger.

Thanks to the records, the police were able to identify 299 alleged victims. From Monday, the man will stand trial for 111 rapes and 189 other sexual assaults. The period of the crimes spans two and a half decades, between 1989 and 2014, during which time the doctor worked in numerous hospitals.

The court in Vannes(Bild: AFP/Philippe Lopez)

Already convicted of abuse
Some of his managers and colleagues knew that Le Scouarnec had previously been convicted of sexually abusing children. This led to a second investigation following a possible failure on the part of the authorities. The crimes came to light because a house had been searched due to another complaint.

Many victims of abuse only found out what had happened to them in adulthood. "I always knew that something was wrong," said a 42-year-old woman who had an appendectomy at the age of nine. For example, she developed a phobia of hospitals and was depressed.

Suspect confessed
According to the public prosecutor's office, the accused has largely confessed. He also wanted to comment on the crimes, said his lawyer Thibaut Kurzawa. The trial is scheduled to last four months and will be held in camera for at least seven days.

In 2020, Le Scouarnec was already sentenced to 15 years in prison for abusing four girls in the 1990s, including two nieces, a patient and a neighbor's daughter (6). The neighbor's child's rape complaint triggered the house search.