A former surgeon accused of sexually abusing nearly 300 patients over a span of 25 years, is scheduled to go on trial later this month in France.
Most of the victims were children, many of whom were unconscious at the time of the alleged assaults.
The case, involving 74-year-old Joel Le Scouarnec, is expected to have a major impact both in France and beyond due to the scale of the accusations.
The trial, beginning on February 24 in Vannes, Brittany, will last four months. While it will be open to the public, testimonies from those who were underage at the time of the abuse will take place behind closed doors.
Regional prosecutor Stephane Kellenberger stated that “Mr Le Scouarnec has generally acknowledged his involvement in many of the events in question” and admitted to using strategies to hide his actions.
He is facing charges for 111 rapes and 189 cases of sexual assault, with 256 of the 299 victims being under 15 years old. The youngest was just one year old, while the oldest was 70.
Le Scouarnec is already serving a 15-year prison sentence handed down in 2020 for raping and assaulting four children, including two of his nieces.
Investigations began in 2017 when a six-year-old girl accused him of rape. This led authorities to uncover further crimes dating back to the 1990s.
The trial will also examine how he was able to continue practising medicine despite a past conviction for possessing child abuse material.
A separate inquiry is looking into whether authorities failed to act sooner to prevent further offences.
