French Surgeon Faces Trial for Alleged Abuse of 299 Children

Joël Le Scouarnec, a retired surgeon, stands accused of decades-long abuse, with detailed diaries and hundreds of victims' names as evidence.

Joël Le Scouarnec, a 74-year-old former surgeon, is on trial in France for the sexual abuse and rape of 299 children, mostly underage patients.
The alleged crimes occurred between 1989 and 2014 across multiple hospitals in western France, with some victims reportedly assaulted under anesthesia during operations.
Le Scouarnec meticulously documented his actions in diaries, which included victims' names and addresses, earning them the label 'diaries of horror' in French media.
The trial has exposed a history of silence and inaction, with Le Scouarnec's past conviction in 2005 for accessing child pornography failing to prevent his continued medical practice.
Family members, including Le Scouarnec's ex-wife and sons, have testified, revealing a pattern of generational abuse and raising questions about complicity and systemic failures.