French Surgeon Faces Trial for Largest Child Sexual Abuse Case in Nation's History

Joël Le Scouarnec, accused of abusing nearly 300 child patients over 25 years, admits to most charges as trial highlights systemic failures.

Joël Le Scouarnec, a retired surgeon, is accused of sexually abusing 299 children, primarily patients, between 1989 and 2014 in French hospitals.
The abuse often occurred while victims were under anesthesia or during medical checkups, with the average age of the victims being 11 years old.
A 2017 investigation, triggered by a report of abuse against a neighbor's 6-year-old daughter, uncovered detailed diaries and over 300,000 child abuse images in Le Scouarnec's possession.
Le Scouarnec has admitted to most charges, including the abuse of his granddaughter, but the case has raised questions about healthcare oversight and institutional accountability.
The trial, expected to last four months, will hear testimony from 299 alleged victims and examine systemic failures that allowed the abuse to continue for decades.