Latest news with #Morbihan
Sky News
6 days ago
- Health
- Sky News
Joel Le Scouarnec: French surgeon who sexually abused hundreds of children is jailed
A former surgeon who sexually abused hundreds of children in France has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Joel Le Scouarnec, 74, was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting 299 children in one of France 's largest-ever child sex abuse cases. Most of the victims were abused while under anaesthesia or waking up from operations, with an almost equal number of boys and girls. Two victims took their own lives years before the trial. He was accused of 300 separate offences - 111 rapes and 189 sexual assaults - in more than a dozen hospitals between 1989 and 2014. Le Scouarnec is already serving a 15-year prison sentence for a 2020 conviction for the rape and sexual assault of four children, including two nieces. During the trial in Morbihan, in western France, prosecutors described Le Scouarnec as "a devil in a white coat" and requested the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. "I'm aware that the harm I've caused is beyond repair," Le Scouarnec said at the opening of the trial in February. "I owe it to all these people and their loved ones to admit my actions and their consequences, which they've endured and will keep having to endure all their lives." The court ordered Le Scouarnec should serve at least two-thirds of the sentence before he can be eligible for release. Presiding Judge Aude Buresi said Le Scouarnec had preyed on victims when they were at their most vulnerable. "Your acts were a blind spot in the medical world, to the extent that your colleagues, the medical authorities, were incapable of stopping your actions," the judge told Le Scouarnec. 2:45 Le Scouarnec had confessed to all the sexual abuse, as well as to other assaults that are now beyond the statute of limitations. He kept detailed records of the abuse he inflicted in notebooks and diaries and some only became aware they had been abused when contacted by investigators after their names appeared in his journals. Others only realised they had been admitted to hospital at the time by checking their medical journals. "I didn't see them as people," Le Scouarnec told the court during the trial. "They were the destination of my fantasies. As the trial went on, I began to see them as individuals, with emotions, anger, suffering and distress." Le Scouarnec was never investigated during his career, despite being sentenced in 2005 for owning child sexual abuse images. He was only apprehended after he retired in 2017 when a girl told her mother that Le Scouarnec had sexually abused her while she was playing in the garden of her home. When the police searched Le Scouarnec's house they found 300,000 indecent photos and videos of children, 70 child-sized dolls and hundreds of notebooks and diaries detailing his acts of abuse. Dozens of victims and rights campaigners gathered outside the courthouse in Brittany ahead of the verdict with a banner made of hundreds of pieces of white paper with black silhouettes - one for each victim. Some papers featured a first name and age, while others referred to the victim as "Anonymous". The local prosecutor has opened a separate investigation to determine if there was any criminal liability by agencies or individuals who could have prevented the abuse.
CBC
6 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Former French surgeon who raped 299 children sentenced to 20 years in prison
WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it. A 74-year-old pedophile and former surgeon who raped dozens of children over a period spanning more than two decades was given a maximum 20-year prison sentence on Wednesday by a French court. Joël Le Scouarnec was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting 299 children. Judges followed the public prosecutor's recommendations regarding the length of the sentence, and the criminal court of Morbihan ordered that Le Scouarnec should serve at least two-thirds of the sentence before he can be eligible for release. Le Scouarnec is already serving a 15-year prison sentence for a conviction in 2020 for the rape and sexual assault of four children, including two nieces. The new trial in Brittany, western France, began in February and laid bare a pattern of abuse between 1989 and 2014. Most of the victims were unconscious or sedated hospital patients at the time of the assaults. The average age was 11. Among the victims were 158 boys and 141 girls. Accusations of inaction During the trial, advocacy groups have accused health authorities of inaction after they were notified as soon as 2005 of Le Scouarnec's conviction for possessing child pornography pictures. At the time, no measures were taken to suspend his medical license or limit his contact with children and Le Scouarnec continued his abuse in hospitals until his arrest in 2017. "Should Joël Le Scouarnec have been the only one in the defendant's box?" prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger asked during his closing arguments. "More could have been done," Kellenberger said. "Things could have been done differently, even within the notorious layers of French bureaucracy, where responsibilities are so often passed from one authority to another until, eventually, that responsibility is lost, and hits innocent lives." Le Scouarnec has confessed to all the sexual abuse alleged by the 299 civil parties, as well as to other assaults that are now beyond the statute of limitations. In a shocking admission during the trial, he also acknowledged sexually abusing his granddaughter — a statement made in front of her visibly distraught parents. Le Scouarnec had been convicted in 2005 for possessing and importing child sexual abuse material and sentenced to four months of suspended prison time. Despite that conviction, he was appointed as a hospital practitioner the following year. Child protection groups that have joined the proceedings as civil parties hope that the case will help strengthen the legal framework to prevent such abuse. Dismantling taboos Le Scouarnec's trial came as activists continue to push to dismantle taboos that have long surrounded sexual abuse in France. The most prominent case was that of Gisèle Pélicot, who was drugged and raped by her now ex-husband and dozens of other men who were convicted and sentenced in December to three to 20 years in prison. In a separate case focusing on alleged abuse at a Catholic school, an inquiry commission of the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament, is investigating allegations of physical and sexual abuse over five decades. Victims of Le Scouarnec have, however, complained of a perceived lack of attention. "This trial, which could have served as an open-air laboratory to expose the serious failings of our institutions, seems to leave no mark on the government, the medical community, or society at large," a group of victims said in a statement. Horrific notebooks Not all victims were initially aware they had been abused. Some were contacted by investigators after their names appeared in journals kept by Le Scouarnec, in which he meticulously documented his crimes. Others only realized they had been hospitalized at the time after checking medical records. Two of his victims took their own lives some years before the trial. Using the cover of medical procedures, the former abdominal and digestive surgeon took advantage of moments when children were alone in their hospital rooms. His method was to disguise sexual abuse as clinical care, targeting young patients who were unlikely to remember the encounters. The notebooks, which detail the abuse in graphic language, have become central to the prosecution's case. Despite the scope of the allegations, Le Scouarnec has remained calm and composed throughout the trial. "I didn't see them as people," he told the court. "They were the destination of my fantasies. As the trial went on, I began to see them as individuals, with emotions, anger, suffering and distress." He said his first act of abuse occurred in 1985, when he raped his 5-year-old niece. Detached and emotionless While he offered apologies to some victims, his demeanour struck many as detached and emotionless. "I don't show emotion, that's just how I am," he said. "That doesn't mean I don't feel it, but I don't express it." The case first came to light in April 2017, when a 6-year-old neighbour told her mother that the man next door had exposed himself and touched her through the fence separating their properties. A search of his home uncovered more than 300,000 photos, 650 pedophilic, zoophilic and scatological video files, as well as notebooks where he described himself as a pedophile and detailed his actions. "Joël Le Scouarnec says he no longer feels any sexual attraction to children, but there's no way to verify that," Kellenberger, the prosecutor, told the court. "Experts concluded that we cannot rely on his word alone and that his potential for future danger remains significant." A third trial is expected in the coming years, following the emergence of new allegations during this trial, including further abuse involving his granddaughter. Gisèle Pelicot's daughter describes the torment of her mother's rape trial 2 months ago Duration 2:12 Caroline Darian's father Dominique Pelicot is serving 20 years in a French prison for repeatedly drugging and raping his then-wife, Gisèle Pelicot, and inviting strangers to do the same. Darian writes about her family's horror in a new memoir, I'll Never Call Him Dad Again.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
'I didn't see them as people': French ex-surgeon gets 20 years for raping 299 children over 25 years
Representaive Image A French court has sentenced a former surgeon to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting 299 children, in one of the country's most disturbing abuse cases. The verdict was delivered on Friday. The perpetrator, Joël Le Scouarnec, must serve a minimum of two-thirds of his sentence before becoming eligible for release, as per the Morbihan criminal court's ruling. Le Scouarnec is currently serving a 15-year sentence from a 2020 conviction for assaulting four children, including two nieces. The recent trial in Brittany exposed systematic abuse from 1989 to 2014, predominantly targeting sedated hospital patients, averaging 11 years of age. The victims comprised 158 boys and 141 girls. Advocacy groups criticised health authorities for failing to act after Le Scouarnec's 2005 child pornography conviction. He retained his medical licence and continued practising until his 2017 arrest. Prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger said, "More could have been done," "Things could have been done differently, even within the notorious layers of French bureaucracy, where responsibilities are so often passed from one authority to another until, eventually, that responsibility is lost, and hits innocent lives." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Warren Buffett Says These 5 Books Are a Must-Read for 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Le Scouarnec admitted to all charges, including abuse beyond the statute of limitations and assaulting his granddaughter, which he revealed before her parents during the trial. Despite his 2005 conviction for possessing child abuse material, he secured a hospital position the following year. Civil parties hope this case will strengthen preventive legal frameworks. The trial coincides with France's efforts to address sexual abuse, including the Gisèle Pélicot case and investigations into alleged Catholic school abuse. Victims have expressed disappointment with the institutional response, stating, "This trial, which could have served as an open-air laboratory to expose the serious failings of our institutions, seems to leave no mark on the government, the medical community, or society at large." Many victims were identified through Le Scouarnec's detailed journals or medical records. Two victims died by suicide before the trial. The surgeon exploited medical procedures to abuse children in hospital rooms. Le Scouarnec maintained composure throughout the trial, stating, "I didn't see them as people. They were the destination of my fantasies. As the trial went on, I began to see them as individuals, with emotions, anger, suffering and distress." The case emerged when a six-year-old neighbour reported inappropriate behaviour in April 2017. Police discovered extensive illicit materials at his residence. A third trial is anticipated following new allegations, including further abuse of his granddaughter.
Arab News
6 days ago
- Health
- Arab News
French court sentences former surgeon to 20 years for raping 299 children
A 74-year-old pedophile and former surgeon who raped hundreds of victims over a period spanning more than two decades was given a maximum 20-year prison sentence on Friday by a French Le Scouarnec was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting 299 followed the public prosecutor's recommendations regarding the length of the sentence and the criminal court of Morbihan ordered that Le Scouarnec should serve at least two-thirds of the sentence before he can be eligible for Scouarnec is already serving a 15-year prison sentence, for a conviction in 2020 for the rape and sexual assault of four children, including two new trial in Brittany, western France, began in February and laid bare a pattern of abuse between 1989 and 2014. Most of the victims were unconscious or sedated hospital patients at the time of the assaults. The average age was 11. Among the victims were 158 boys and 141 of inactionDuring the trial, advocacy groups have accused health authorities of inaction after they were notified as soon as 2005 of Le Scouarnec's conviction for possessing child pornography the time, no measures were taken to suspend his medical license or limit his contact with children and Le Scouarnec continued his abuse in hospitals until his arrest in 2017.'Should Joël Le Scouarnec have been the only one in the defendant's box?' prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger asked during his closing arguments.'More could have been done,' Kellenberger said. 'Things could have been done differently, even within the notorious layers of French bureaucracy, where responsibilities are so often passed from one authority to another until, eventually, that responsibility is lost, and hits innocent lives.'Le Scouarnec has confessed to all the sexual abuse alleged by the 299 civil parties, as well as to other assaults that are now beyond the statute of limitations. In a shocking admission during the trial, he also acknowledged sexually abusing his granddaughter — a statement made in front of her visibly distraught Scouarnec had been convicted in 2005 for possessing and importing child sexual abuse material and sentenced to four months of suspended prison time. Despite that conviction, he was appointed as a hospital practitioner the following year. Child protection groups that have joined the proceedings as civil parties hope that the case will help strengthen the legal framework to prevent such taboosLe Scouarnec's trial came as activists continue to push to dismantle taboos that have long surrounded sexual abuse in France. The most prominent case was that of Gisèle Pélicot, who was drugged and raped by her now ex-husband and dozens of other men who were convicted and sentenced in December to three to 20 years in a separate case focusing on alleged abuse at a Catholic school, an inquiry commission of the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament, is investigating allegations of physical and sexual abuse over five of Le Scouarnec have, however, complained of a perceived lack of attention.'This trial, which could have served as an open-air laboratory to expose the serious failings of our institutions, seems to leave no mark on the government, the medical community, or society at large,' a group of victims said in a notebooksNot all victims were initially aware they had been abused. Some were contacted by investigators after their names appeared in journals kept by Le Scouarnec, in which he meticulously documented his crimes. Others only realized they had been hospitalized at the time after checking medical records. Two of his victims took their own lives some years before the the cover of medical procedures, the former abdominal and digestive surgeon took advantage of moments when children were alone in their hospital rooms. His method was to disguise sexual abuse as clinical care, targeting young patients who were unlikely to remember the notebooks, which detail the abuse in graphic language, have become central to the prosecution's the scope of the allegations, Le Scouarnec has remained calm and composed throughout the trial.'I didn't see them as people,' he told the court. 'They were the destination of my fantasies. As the trial went on, I began to see them as individuals, with emotions, anger, suffering and distress.'He said his first act of abuse occurred in 1985, when he raped his 5-year-old and emotionlessWhile he offered apologies to some victims, his demeanor struck many as detached and emotionless.'I don't show emotion, that's just how I am,' he said. 'That doesn't mean I don't feel it, but I don't express it.'The case first came to light in April 2017, when a 6-year-old neighbor told her mother that the man next door had exposed himself and touched her through the fence separating their properties.A search of his home uncovered more than 300,000 photos, 650 pedophilic, zoophilic and scatological video files, as well as notebooks where he described himself as a pedophile and detailed his actions.'Joël Le Scouarnec says he no longer feels any sexual attraction to children, but there's no way to verify that,' Kellenberger, the prosecutor, told the court. 'Experts concluded that we cannot rely on his word alone and that his potential for future danger remains significant.'A third trial is expected in the coming years, following the emergence of new allegations during this trial, including further abuse involving his granddaughter.
Globe and Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Globe and Mail
French court sentences former surgeon to 20 years for raping, sexually assaulting 299 children
A 74-year-old pedophile and former surgeon who raped hundreds of victims over a period spanning more than two decades was given a maximum 20-year prison sentence on Friday by a French court. Joel Le Scouarnec was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting 299 children. Judges followed the public prosecutor's recommendations regarding the length of the sentence and the criminal court of Morbihan ordered that Le Scouarnec should serve at least two-thirds of the sentence before he can be eligible for release. Le Scouarnec is already serving a 15-year prison sentence, for a conviction in 2020 for the rape and sexual assault of four children, including two nieces. The new trial in Brittany, western France, began in February and laid bare a pattern of abuse between 1989 and 2014. Most of the victims were unconscious or sedated hospital patients at the time of the assaults. The average age was 11. Among the victims were 158 boys and 141 girls. During the trial, advocacy groups have accused health authorities of inaction after they were notified as soon as 2005 of Le Scouarnec's conviction for possessing child pornography pictures. At the time, no measures were taken to suspend his medical license or limit his contact with children and Le Scouarnec continued his abuse in hospitals until his arrest in 2017. 'Should Joel Le Scouarnec have been the only one in the defendant's box?' prosecutor Stephane Kellenberger asked during his closing arguments. 'More could have been done,' Kellenberger said. 'Things could have been done differently, even within the notorious layers of French bureaucracy, where responsibilities are so often passed from one authority to another until, eventually, that responsibility is lost, and hits innocent lives.' Le Scouarnec has confessed to all the sexual abuse alleged by the 299 civil parties, as well as to other assaults that are now beyond the statute of limitations. In a shocking admission during the trial, he also acknowledged sexually abusing his granddaughter – a statement made in front of her visibly distraught parents. Le Scouarnec had been convicted in 2005 for possessing and importing child sexual abuse material and sentenced to four months of suspended prison time. Despite that conviction, he was appointed as a hospital practitioner the following year. Child protection groups that have joined the proceedings as civil parties hope that the case will help strengthen the legal framework to prevent such abuse. Le Scouarnec's trial came as activists continue to push to dismantle taboos that have long surrounded sexual abuse in France. The most prominent case was that of Gisele Pelicot, who was drugged and raped by her now ex-husband and dozens of other men who were convicted and sentenced in December to three to 20 years in prison. In a separate case focusing on alleged abuse at a Catholic school, an inquiry commission of the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament, is investigating allegations of physical and sexual abuse over five decades. Victims of Le Scouarnec have, however, complained of a perceived lack of attention. 'This trial, which could have served as an open-air laboratory to expose the serious failings of our institutions, seems to leave no mark on the government, the medical community, or society at large,' a group of victims said in a statement. Not all victims were initially aware they had been abused. Some were contacted by investigators after their names appeared in journals kept by Le Scouarnec, in which he meticulously documented his crimes. Others only realized they had been hospitalized at the time after checking medical records. Two of his victims took their own lives some years before the trial. Using the cover of medical procedures, the former abdominal and digestive surgeon took advantage of moments when children were alone in their hospital rooms. His method was to disguise sexual abuse as clinical care, targeting young patients who were unlikely to remember the encounters. The notebooks, which detail the abuse in graphic language, have become central to the prosecution's case. Despite the scope of the allegations, Le Scouarnec has remained calm and composed throughout the trial. 'I didn't see them as people,' he told the court. 'They were the destination of my fantasies. As the trial went on, I began to see them as individuals, with emotions, anger, suffering and distress.' He said his first act of abuse occurred in 1985, when he raped his 5-year-old niece. While he offered apologies to some victims, his demeanour struck many as detached and emotionless. 'I don't show emotion, that's just how I am,' he said. 'That doesn't mean I don't feel it, but I don't express it.' The case first came to light in April 2017, when a 6-year-old neighbour told her mother that the man next door had exposed himself and touched her through the fence separating their properties. A search of his home uncovered more than 300,000 photos, 650 pedophilic, zoophilic and scatological video files, as well as notebooks where he described himself as a pedophile and detailed his actions. 'Joel Le Scouarnec says he no longer feels any sexual attraction to children, but there's no way to verify that,' Kellenberger, the prosecutor, told the court. 'Experts concluded that we cannot rely on his word alone and that his potential for future danger remains significant.' A third trial is expected in the coming years, following the emergence of new allegations during this trial, including further abuse involving his granddaughter.
