French Surgeon Faces Trial for Alleged Abuse of Nearly 300 Children Over Decades

Joël Le Scouarnec, already serving a 15-year sentence, is accused of sexually assaulting patients, including minors under anesthesia, across nine hospitals in France.

Joël Le Scouarnec, a retired surgeon, is on trial in France for allegedly sexually abusing 299 people, mostly minors, over a 25-year period from 1989 to 2014.
The trial, the largest child sexual abuse case in French history, is based on evidence from Le Scouarnec's detailed diaries and digital records, which prosecutors claim document the abuse.
The majority of the alleged victims were under 15 years old, with many reportedly assaulted while under anesthesia during medical procedures.
Le Scouarnec, who was previously convicted in 2020 for abusing four minors, continued working in hospitals despite a 2005 conviction for possession of child abuse imagery.
The case has raised serious questions about systemic failures in France's medical and legal systems, with critics pointing to missed opportunities to stop Le Scouarnec's actions.