A former French surgeon in trial for positions of sexually abusing almost 300 patients, mostly children, said Monday that he had “finished lying” and “ready to admit” to some violations.
Joel Le Scouarnec, 74, has been judged in the western city of Vannes since last week in one of the largest child sexual abuse in the country. It is believed that it has assaulted or violated 299 patients, most while anesthesia or during the checks after the operation, a dozen hospitals between 1989 and 2014.
Two hundred fifty -six of the victims were under 15, with the minor and the oldest of the 70 years.
“Today I feel ready to admit some acts of rape that I wanted to hide, deny. I am ready to admit them. I have finished lying, “Le Scouarnec told the court after a testimony of a investigator on the meticulous records that the doctor maintained the abuse.
During the investigation, Le Scouarnec had admitted the violation of the children under the appearance of rectal exams, the principal investigator told the court. He had confessed sexually assaulting girls, but called his written stories of violations of young patients “exaggeration” or “fantasy.”
‘Very violent images’
The surgeon was never investigated during his career despite a judgment of 2005 for having sexually abusive images of children and some of his colleagues who sound the alarm for suspicious behavior.
He continued to practice until his retirement in 2017, after which a six -year -old boy accused him of rape and the police discovered daily abuse accounts against his patients stored in his computers.
Victims and defenders of children’s rights say that the case highlights systemic failures that allowed Le Scouarnec to commit sexual crimes repeatedly. He has been imprisoned since he was convicted in 2020 by abusing four children, including those of six years and two of his nieces.
In his notes, the doctor describes himself as an “important pervert” and a “pedophile.” Police also found about 30,000 images and videos about their hard drives.
The court heard today how, in addition to the sexually abusive images of children, he also had photos and videos of “all kinds”, according to the principal investigator.
“I would see very violent, pendant images, decapitations of human beings,” he told court, adding that there were “acts of cruelty towards animals.”
Le Scouarnec sat on the dock with only his visible white hair hair.
Speaking in court on Friday, he had confessed sexually abusing the 12 -year -old daughter of her eldest son, who was present in court.
