French authorities are set to begin the trial of former surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec on February 24, in what is being called one of the biggest sexual abuse cases in France’s history. The 74-year-old is accused of raping or sexually assaulting nearly 300 former patients—most of them children—between 1989 and 2014 while working in medical institutions across western France.
Le Scouarnec has already been serving a 15-year sentence since 2020 for sexually assaulting four children, including his nieces. This new trial in Vannes, Brittany, will address 111 rape charges and 189 sexual assault charges, with 256 of the victims under 15. The youngest known victim was just one year old.
If convicted, the maximum sentence he faces is 20 years, as French law does not allow cumulative sentencing for multiple victims. The trial will be public, but testimonies from child victims will be held behind closed doors.
The case first came to light in 2017, when a six-year-old girl reported being raped, triggering an extensive investigation. Many victims only learned of the assaults years later, leaving them traumatized and searching for answers.
This trial follows other recent high-profile sex crime cases in France, including that of Dominique Pelicot, who was convicted of orchestrating the rape of his heavily sedated wife. Given the scale of the abuse and Le Scouarnec’s position of trust as a doctor, this case is expected to have significant national and international repercussions.
