Overview

• Joel Le Scouarnec, a former surgeon, admitted guilt for sexually abusing 299 patients, most under the age of 15, during his ongoing trial in Vannes, France.
• The abuse, which occurred between 1989 and 2014, took place in a dozen hospitals, often while patients were under anaesthesia or recovering from surgery.
• Investigators uncovered meticulously kept notebooks detailing the abuse, which were instrumental in identifying victims and substantiating charges.
• Le Scouarnec's admission follows years of denial and partial admissions, with his change in stance attributed to the testimonies of victims during the trial.
• The case has drawn attention to systemic institutional negligence, as Le Scouarnec continued practicing until 2017 despite a 2005 conviction for possessing child abuse images.