Overview

• A Morbihan court sentenced Joël Le Scouarnec to 20 years in prison, ordering him to serve at least two-thirds of the term before parole and adding to an existing 15-year sentence for prior convictions.
• He was convicted of raping or sexually assaulting 299 patients between 1989 and 2014, most of whom were children sedated or unconscious during hospital procedures, with victims averaging 11 years old.
• Despite a 2005 conviction for possessing child pornography, Le Scouarnec continued practicing medicine until his 2017 arrest, exposing gaps in healthcare oversight and legal accountability.
• Police seized more than 300,000 illicit images and hundreds of notebooks in which he meticulously documented names, ages and details of his abuse, aiding investigators in identifying victims.
• The verdict has intensified calls from child protection groups and lawmakers for stronger safeguards, and a third trial is expected to address new allegations, including the assault of his granddaughter.