Historic Trial of Former Surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec to Begin with 299 Victims

The four-month trial in Vannes will address decades of sexual violence, marking one of France's largest pedocriminality cases.

Joël Le Scouarnec, a 74-year-old former surgeon, faces charges of 111 rapes and 189 sexual assaults committed between 1989 and 2014, mostly against minors.
The trial, starting February 24 in Vannes, has been labeled 'sensitive' due to the unprecedented scale, involving 299 victims and over 60 media outlets covering the case.
The crimes were often committed under the guise of medical procedures, with victims as young as one year old, and evidence includes detailed journals documenting the abuse.
The logistical preparations for the trial required significant resources, including a budget of up to €3.2 million and the adaptation of an old university campus to accommodate the proceedings.
Le Scouarnec, already serving a 15-year sentence for prior convictions, could face a maximum sentence of 20 years under French law, which does not allow cumulative penalties.