France gears up for largest child abuse trial
What's the story
France is preparing for its biggest-ever child abuse trial, set to begin in Brittany this month.
The accused, Joel Le Scouarnec, a 73-year-old former digestive surgeon, is alleged to have sexually abused hundreds of young patients over decades.
The trial will address major concerns over child protection in France and will see testimony from an unprecedented number of alleged victims.
Abuse details
Surgeon's decades-long abuse allegations unveiled
Le Scouarnec worked in public and private hospitals throughout Brittany and western France, frequently performing surgeries on children.
Although the FBI flagged him in 2004 for viewing child abuse imagery on the dark web, he continued to work with children after receiving a four-year suspended sentence in 2005.
Handwritten notebooks reportedly detailing his crimes against patients are part of the evidence against him.
Charges overview
Surgeon faces charges spanning 25 years
The charges against Le Scouarnec date back to 1989 and continue until 2014.
He is accused of raping or sexually assaulting 299 patients, including 256 victims who were under 15.
Many victims were unconscious during the alleged assaults, public prosecutor in Lorient, Stephane Kellenberger, said.
Le Scouarnec has partially admitted to some charges but denied others.
Victim impact
Unprecedented scale of trial shocks victims
Francesca Satta, who represents 10 victims, called the trial unprecedented in its scale. She said some victims were devastated to learn details from Le Scouarnec's diaries.
In 2017, a police raid at his home revealed abuse imagery and hidden dolls.
In 2020, he was sentenced to 15 years for assaulting four children and is currently imprisoned.
Institutional failings
Systemic failures enabled surgeon's continued offenses
Satta emphasized systemic failures that permitted Le Scouarnec to keep offending. She noted that societal respect for professionals such as doctors played a role in these oversights.
Frederic Benoist from La Voix de L'Enfant slammed institutional failings that allowed Le Scouarnec's actions, stressing that when first alerted by the FBI in 2004, authorities failed to investigate thoroughly.
Despite colleagues warning about Le Scouarnec's behavior, he was employed in hospitals.