A former French surgeon accused of sexually assaulting nearly 300 patients, most of them children, is set to stand trial in one of the country’s largest abuse cases.
Joel Le Scouarnec, 74, who is already serving time for previous convictions, faces new charges related to assaults committed between 1989 and 2014 at multiple hospitals across France.
The allegations include rape and sexual assault, often occurring while patients were waking up from anesthesia or during post-operative checkups. Of the 299 victims, 256 were under the age of 15, with the youngest being just one year old. If convicted, Le Scouarnec could face up to 20 years in prison.
Despite being convicted in 2005 for possessing child abuse images, Le Scouarnec continued working as a surgeon. Hospital management was aware of his criminal record but did not prevent him from continuing his practice. He remained in the medical field until his retirement in 2017. His crimes came to light when a six-year-old girl accused him of rape, leading police to search his home, where they found diaries detailing decades of abuse.
Victims and child rights advocates argue that systemic failures enabled his crimes. French authorities are now investigating why he was allowed to continue working despite red flags. Lawyer Frédéric Benoist called the case a “collective failure” of institutions meant to protect the vulnerable.
The trial, taking place in the western city of Vannes, will be public, but testimony from victims who were minors at the time will be held behind closed doors. With France still reeling from recent high-profile abuse cases, this trial is expected to spark further scrutiny over how such crimes went unchecked for so long.